The international Chinese speech competition for college and secondary school students, Chinese Bridge, kicked off with a ceremony in Beijing on Tuesday. 

Taking One World, One Dream as its theme, the competition for college students will see a number of overseas students who are studying Chinese showcase their language skills as well as knowledge about China and Chinese culture.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the preliminary events will be held online in various countries. Contestants who pass their national competitions will need to pass continental competitions before reaching the final stage, which will see five finalists compete for the grand championship. 

The final winner will get a scholarship and a number of awards in separate categories will also be given out. 

The final competition will take place in November.

The two events will be aired on China's Central Television as well as the station's online platform.