Chinese Embassy in Latvia held the 11th "Chinese Bridge" language competition on Wednesday. More than 100 people including famous Latvian Sinologists, Chinese language teachers, students, Chinese language lovers, journalists and friends attended the contest. A total of 35 participants took part in the competition this year. They were decided in two groups: "university students" and "secondary school pupils". The fierce competition consisted of three parts. Each of the contestants had to give a keynote speech, to participate in the Chinese knowledge interlocution and a talent show. The youngest contestant was 9 years old, the oldest-- 30 years old. With the first prize of the competition goes to Karina of University of Latvia (advanced level) in the group of university students and Laura while Riga Culture Secondary School (advanced level) got the first prize in the group of secondary school pupils. They will go to China to represent Latvia in the second half of 2014 organized semi-finals and finals of the 13th "Chinese Bridge" among world university students, and the 7th "Chinese Bridge" among world secondary school pupils respectively. The competition was organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, Confucius Institute at Riga Stradins University, Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia, Vidzeme University, and Riga Culture Secondary School. Before the contest started, Yang Guoqiang, Chinese ambassador to Latvia emphasized that "Chinese Bridge" is an ideal stage for the Latvian youth dreams to come true, it is also the "friendship bridge" that connects Latvian and Chinese teenagers' hearts, to learn Chinese means that one can better understanding the Chinese culture. Chinese language is also a key to get access to the only civilization in the world that continues for five thousand years. The Ambassador encouraged each of the participants to demonstrate one's skills and talents at the best possible way. Professor Andris Kangro from University of Latvia thanked the Embassy of China for a long-term support in the teaching of the Chinese language. Kangro said that on recent years there are more and more students learning Chinese, which is inseparable with the growing efforts of the Confucius Institute and other teaching Chinese institutions. He spoke about high significance of the "Chinese Bridge" completion and expressed his hope that each contestant after the competition would take on the historical mission of a friendship messenger in the cultural dialogue between the two countries. So far, nearly 2,000 people in Latvia are studying Chinese, and 200 students went to study in China. Among them-- Anzelika Smirnova, graduate of the University of Latvia and Marta Ivaninok, former pupil of Riga Culture Secondary School have actively taken part in a TV Chinese-learning program at the China's State Television, thus, popularizing Latvia among Chinese.