This summer, Anita Aravena represented the Western regions of the U.S. at the 2025 Chinese Bridge, held this year in Pingtan, China. The "China Bridge" is a global Chinese language competition sponsored by the Chinese government and often dubbed the "Chinese Olympics."
To reach the final level of the competition, Anita first had to compete at the regional level in Los Angeles, California. While at the regionals, she scored first place, which earned her a spot at Pingtan as one of four U.S. representatives. Read about her regional journey here.
Once in Pingtan, she joined 156 other college students from around the world. The competition included written and oral examinations as well as cultural talent performances. There was also a lot of sightseeing and traveling, during which she was able to explore Beijing and many cities in Fujian Province. Although she did not advance to the final competition rounds, Anita received a scholarship to study in China for one semester, sponsored by the Chinese government.
