ULAN BATOR, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- In the early morning of Ulan Bator, capital of Mongolia, 19-year-old Mongolian university student Enkhbat arrives early at the examination venue for the Chinese Proficiency Test, ready to assess his Chinese language skills.

"I'm in my sophomore year and hope to use this test to evaluate my Chinese proficiency in preparation for studying abroad," Enkhbat said. Hailing from Khentii Province, his parents are herders, and a chance encounter led him to the Chinese language.

In the summer of 2023, Enkhbat traveled to Ulan Bator with his father to sell cashmere products, where they encountered a businessman from China. Unfortunately, without a translator, neither Enkhbat nor his father could comprehend the Chinese spoken by the businessman, leading to an unsuccessful negotiation that left his father feeling regretful.

That day, his father patted him on the shoulder and said, "You need to learn Chinese when you go to university."

At university, Enkhbat chose to major in Chinese, planning to study further in Shanghai after graduation. "China has a huge market, and the potential for China-Mongolia trade is immense," Enkhbat noted.

Currently, there is a growing number of young people in Mongolia, like Enkhbat, keen on learning Chinese. Cheng Shengli, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the National University of Mongolia, said that among foreign language learners in Mongolia, those studying Chinese rank second after English.

There are 18 national primary and secondary schools as well as over 40 private schools offering Chinese courses in Mongolia, with more than 150 other schools planning to introduce Chinese language programs.

The Confucius Institutes at the National University of Mongolia and the Mongolian State University of Education, as well as several Confucius classrooms and teaching centers, have become important platforms for Chinese language education and cultural exchange between China and Mongolia.

Khishig Chinese Language Comprehensive Secondary School in Ulan Bator has implemented Chinese language courses. Teacher Jiyaa said that students enjoy learning Chinese, singing Chinese songs, and following Chinese television dramas, resulting in remarkable improvements in their Chinese proficiency.

The "Chinese Bridge" contest, a Chinese proficiency competition for foreigners, has also sparked Mongolian students' enthusiasm for learning Chinese.

Middle school student Hulan from Tsaikhun Secondary School in Darkhan-Uul Province said, "'Chinese Bridge' is like a mirror, reflecting my progress in Chinese while revealing the many treasures hidden within the language."

Throughout the years, many students in Mongolia have shown a deep enthusiasm for the competition, viewing their preparation and participation as valuable opportunities to improve their language skills.

Cheng said that the "Chinese Bridge" is not just a competition; it serves as a gateway for Mongolian students to immerse themselves in the Chinese language, allowing them to experience the beauty of the language and the vast opportunities for cultural exchange between the two nations. ■