A student from Portugal won the prize for Best Artistic Performance in this year’s edition of “Chinese Bridge – Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students,” Portuguese news agency Lusa reported. The international competition is the world’s largest for learners of Chinese language, according to the report.

Samuel Gomes, aged 25 – the only Portuguese student taking part in the competition – won the award for his interpretation of a poem by Li Bai.

A total of 146 students from 108 countries took part in this year’s edition of Chinese Bridge, held in China’s Hunan province, Lusa reported.

Mr Gomes has a bachelor degree in Oriental Languages and Cultures, from Portugal’s University of Minho, as well as a master degree in Theatre Studies, from the University of Porto. He is currently studying Mandarin at the Confucius Institute at the University of Minho.

The Confucius Institute is an educational and cultural exchange organisation under an official Chinese body called the Office of Chinese Language Council International. Its goals are to teach Mandarin and promote Chinese culture internationally.