NAIROBI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The seventh edition of Chinese spelling bee competition took place on Friday, drawing more than 100 learners from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions to showcase their proficiency in Mandarin.

Hosted by the United States International University-Africa (USIU-A), a private university located on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, the event featured speeches, group discussions and writing.

Since its launch in 2020, the Chinese spelling bee competition has evolved to become a platform for promoting the study of Mandarin among local youth, while increasing their appreciation of Chinese culture, said Wanjiku Mbugua, a Mandarin teacher at USIU-A.

"Today's spelling bee competition was an improvement from the last one. We have seen more uptake in Chinese language which has become a pathway for learners across all levels," Mbugua said.

"We had around 150 participants and what is most impressive is that spoken Chinese is getting better. We have seen teachers and students improving in pronunciation," she added.

Faith Wanjiku Mworia, the managing director of Discovery Chinese Cultural Training Center, said that the seventh edition of the Chinese spelling bee competition broke new ground in showcasing Mandarin speaking and writing skills among local youth.

According to Mworia, also the chairperson of Chinese Language Teachers Association in Kenya, the Chinese language remains the most viable building block for enhancing China-Kenya ties across spheres of culture, economics and diplomacy.

The future of Chinese language teaching in Kenya is promising, Mworia said, as it unlocks myriad opportunities for local youth, including scholarships, jobs and entrepreneurship. ■