Your Excellency Senator Talal Abu-Ghazaleh,

Distinguished guests, dear participants,

As Salam Alaikum.

It gives me a great pleasure to join you at the Finals of the Chinese Bridge Competition in Jordan. First of all, my heart-felt thanks go to the organizers, TAG Confucius Institute and Amman China Cultural Centre, as well as all the teachers who have worked so hard for this year’s competition.

Language is a carrier of civilization and promotes exchanges and mutual learning of different civilizations. China has 5000 years’ history and splendid culture, while Jordan is a cultural highland in the Arab world. Looking back in history, the ancient Silk Road connected China and Jordan. Setting eyes on today, China and Jordan are hand in hand on our respective second centenary journeys towards modernization.

Last March, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Civilization Initiative, advocating respect for cultural diversity, emphasizing preservation and renewal of civilizations, calling for strengthening cultural exchanges and cooperation, in pursuit of common values of humanity. China and Jordan both ancient civilizations, share a common desire and responsibility in promoting cultural exchange, harmonious coexistence and mutual learning among civilizations.

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global enthusiasm for learning Chinese has not been dampened. More and more young people, including Arab and Jordanian youth, are learning Chinese. As a most influential Chinese language competition globally, the "Chinese Bridge" has become a "bridge of culture," a "bridge of friendship," and a "bridge of hearts" connecting China and the world.

Today's participants are outstanding representatives of young Jordanians studying Chinese. Language is a lens to observe history and culture, it is also a sensor to feel the pulse of our times. I sincerely hope that through learning the Chinese language, Jordanian youth can observe the history and culture of China, feel the pulse of China's reform and development, carry forward the deep-rooted friendship between China and Jordan, promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning, and contribute to our common journey to modernization.

I hope all the contestants will shine in today's competition. At the same time, I hope that those who did not make it to the finals will not be discouraged,but rather persevere and achieve their goals.

I wish the competition a complete success! Shukran.