Harry's Chinese Bridge 2025 Winning Experience!
Blending Corporate with Culture: Speaking the Language of Business
If there are two things I’m passionate about in life, it’s coffee and a good deal.
Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to take part in the ‘5th Chinese Competition of Charitable Projects & Business Innovations for UK University Students’ (第5届英国大学生社会公益与上午创新中文大赛). Despite having such a memorable title, the competition was an unforgettable experience.
A delegation of us travelled down from Leeds, including Liu Xiaolong, Jack Popplewell, Jun Yi, and Chinese Bridge contestants Maya Fortune, Polly Akehurst, and (host/former runner-up) Francesca Pala. Thanks to such great company and a generous expenses budget provided by the Confucius Institute, the trip felt like less of a white-knuckle ride and more like a welcome post-exam getaway.
The event itself was hosted at the School of African, Asian, and Oriental Studies (SOAS) in central London, and was attended by the top dignitaries from UK Chinese-speaking community, spanning finance, diplomacy, business, and higher education. We first watched the hotly contested Chinese Bridge competition, in which students from all over the country showcased their Chinese abilities and impressive cultural knowledge. Maya and Polly each struck a chord with their self-written poetry and guzheng performances.
In the business competition, I was able to put my degree into practice straight away, presenting my proposal in Mandarin to a panel of judges, who then asked unscripted questions. My idea centred around providing a low-cost coffee solution to commuters and students to help alleviate the UK’s cost-of-living crisis. My weeks of preparation paid off, and I was awarded 1st prize, by none other than British Council Regional Head of China and Leeds alumnus Ralph Rogers. Aside from my prize money, I was approached by people at the end of the performance who were interested in working with me further and developing my idea. It was also a fantastic place meet likeminded students who I hope to see again in the near future.
Overall, I found this an incredibly valuable opportunity and I am glad that my teachers pushed me into it. Apart from the support of the Confucius Institute staff on the day, I have to give a special thank you to my personal coach, Ye Jing, who was always on hand to answer any silly questions I had. I would also like to thank my English friends and family who sent in their videos telling me to jiayou!
In such an unforgiving job market, it is encouraging to find recognition that opens doors. If you are considering a future in business or want to use Chinese to take your big ideas from bean to boardroom, this is the perfect springboard!
