On May 9, 2026, the North Macedonia Final of the 2026 “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition was successfully held in Skopje. Organized by the Confucius Institute at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM), the event brought together 26 contestants from three categories: the University and Adult Group, the High School Students Group, and the Primary School Students Group.
The competition officially began at 9:00 a.m. with welcome remarks by Prof. Vlatko Stoilkov and Prof. Liao Wei, the Macedonian and Chinese Directors of the Confucius Institute. Contestants competed in three sections: self-introduction, language proficiency test, and Chinese cultural talent performance. They demonstrated their Chinese language skills, cultural understanding, creativity, and confidence on stage.
The five-member judging panel consisted of Dr. Mariya Marinova from Sofia University, Bulgaria; Dr. Igor Radev and Dr. Sara Cvetanovska, sinologists from North Macedonia; Ms. Tang Bingbing, representative of Sinohydro, a Chinese enterprise; and Ms. Zhang Wenjun, representative of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in North Macedonia.
After several hours of competition, the winners were announced. In the University and Adult Group, the first prize went to Zhanina Bogevska, the second prize to Kiro Mavroski, and the third prize to Sara Aleksikj. In the High School Students Group, the first prize went to Jana Aleksova, the second prize to Iva Eftimoska, and the third prize to Andrea Paskalova. In the Primary School Students Group, the first prize went to Ilina Siljanovska, the second prize to Bisera Kambovska, and the third prize to Anastasija Matkarimova Pejoska.
The award ceremony was held at 2:00 p.m. Distinguished guests included H.E. Jiang Xiaoyan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to North Macedonia; Prof. Sonja Topuzovska, Vice-Rector of UKIM; Mr. Robert Adzipetrov, Director of the Bureau for Textbooks at the Ministry of Education and Science of North Macedonia; Prof. Vladimir Martinovski, Dean of the Faculty of Philology; Mr. Milko Zivkovic, Editor-in-Chief of Nova Makedonija; representatives of the Chinese Embassy; the Chinese and Macedonian Directors of the Confucius Institute; judges, teachers, contestants, parents, students, as well as other friends and supporters of the Confucius Institute.
In their remarks, Prof. Liao Wei and Prof. Vlatko Stoilkov congratulated all contestants and thanked the judges, guests, teachers, parents, and partner institutions for their support. They noted that the “Chinese Bridge” competition is not only a language contest, but also an important platform for young people in North Macedonia to learn Chinese and understand Chinese culture.
Prof. Sonja Topuzovska, speaking on behalf of the Rector of UKIM, Prof. Biljana Angelova, emphasized the university’s long-standing support for the Confucius Institute and its cooperation with Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. She noted that learning foreign languages is an investment in the future, and described the “Chinese Bridge” competition as a meaningful symbol of cultural connection, mutual understanding, and friendship.
Ambassador Jiang Xiaoyan warmly congratulated the contestants and praised the Confucius Institute at UKIM for its excellent organization of the event. She emphasized that the Chinese language carries the wisdom of Chinese civilization and serves as a bridge for understanding China, promoting cultural dialogue, and strengthening friendship between China and North Macedonia. She encouraged the contestants to continue learning Chinese and become future ambassadors of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
The ceremony also featured cultural performances by teachers and students of the Confucius Institute, including Chinese songs, dance, taijiquan, and group performances. The successful event once again demonstrated the growing enthusiasm for Chinese language learning in North Macedonia and the important role of the Confucius Institute in promoting educational and cultural exchanges between China and North Macedonia.
