The 2026 Chinese Bridge Summer Camp: Understanding China, co-hosted by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of China's Ministry of Education and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), opened on July 31.

This year's camp has welcomed 141 teachers and students from eight countries: Albania, South Korea, Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom.

Participants pose for a group photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, BFSU Vice-President Zhao Gang highlighted the university's distinctive educational philosophy, noting that using language as a bridge to engage with people and appreciate traditional culture offers a path to understanding a multidimensional, vibrant, and welcoming China.

Zhao encouraged the participants to immerse themselves in both the history and modernity of Beijing, deepening their bond with China.

Pyo Jung Hwa, director for public diplomacy of the South Korean Embassy, pointed out that while there are many ways to understand China, face-to-face communication is the most effective. He urged participants to cherish the journey, broaden their international perspectives, and develop their communication and collaboration skills to become ambassadors of friendship in cross-cultural exchange.

Representatives of the camp participants also took the stage to share their journeys of discovering Chinese culture and expressed excitement about learning new things, experiencing diverse cultures, and making friends from around the world through the event.

Participants pose for a group photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Following the speeches, attending guests presented camp flags to representatives of each national delegation.

This summer camp is one of BFSU's flagship international Chinese language education programs, built on the university's high-quality resources in Chinese language teaching and foreign language education. The event integrates Chinese language courses, language practice, cultural experiences, and field excursions, dedicated to providing participants with a premium Chinese learning experience and helping them gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and contemporary China.