Leeds student ranked fourth in Europe in the Chinese Bridge Competition

Rebecca Mingotti Landriani, a final year student of Chinese and International Relations at the University of Leeds, has finished fourth in Europe in the international finals of the Chinese Bridge Competition.

Rebecca's Mandarin language skills combined with her knowledge of China and natural presenting ability served her well in the competition.

Following a fantastic performance in the UK finals, securing her first place, Rebecca also made the cut for the final 30 with an excellent test score combined with the results of a public vote. She left the competition ranked fourth in Europe after the first international live round which consisted of a debate challenge and quiz.

Career aspirations

Now entering her final year of University, Rebecca's ambitions include becoming a news anchor in China and pursuing a career in diplomacy. She has already noticed the Chinese Bridge competition opening doors for her and been contacted by Chinese news agencies after her appearance.

The benefits of taking part

Rebecca describes herself as an "ex-introvert" and highlighted the opportunity to push herself out of her comfort zone as one benefit of taking part in Chinese Bridge. To others who want to get better at being in the public eye she says:

Don't think too much about what others are going to do, just focus on improving yourself and doing better than what you did the day before.

In addition to the extra language practice she gained through her intensive preparations with Business Confucius Institute Mandarin Instructor Xiaochen MAN, Rebecca was also able to develop her performance skills and work on an impression for the first time.

She chose to impersonate Youtube star Papi Jiang delivering one of her popular comedic monologues. Rebecca describes her subject as incredibly charismatic; someone who can be lighthearted while also discussing serious topics. Find links to view Rebecca's performance and the video that inspired it in our previous news update.

In good company

Rebecca joins a group of talented Chinese Bridge alumni from the University of Leeds including 2019 international finalists James Holmes and Ahmad Elmouniery, who both offered her advice and encouragement as she prepared for the competition.

We wish Rebecca all the best for the future, and hope that this success in the Chinese Bridge Competition gives her confidence as she embarks on her final year and explores career options using her Mandarin language skills.

Follow in Rebecca's footsteps

If you are studying Chinese and may be interested in taking part in the Chinese Bridge Competition we would love to hear from you. Find more details on the Chinese Bridge page and fill in the form if you would like to register your interest.