More than 100 university students from 10 eastern U.S. states have registered to compete for the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition, the organizers announced on Thursday.

The 2nd "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Eastern U.S., the biggest of its kind in eastern U.S., will start its preliminary rounds of competition from April 2 to April 10 in five universities in eastern United States. The top one fifth of the students will qualify for the final competition on April 23 in New York City. The winners of the final competition will represent eastern U.S. to compete with students from Asia, Africa and Europe in the 10th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in July, 2011 in China.

The competition includes a prepared speech in Chinese, a Chinese art and cultural show including Chinese calligraphy, Chinese brush painting and Kung Fu show, etc. and a Chinese cultural quiz. All the finalists will receive scholarship to study in China.

"I feel so touched to see so many young Chinese language learners join the competition, as I studied Chinese at university for years," Morgan Jones, an official from New York City Mayor's Office told Xinhua in fluent Chinese.

"Learning Chinese has become more and more popular in the United States. I believe the competition will be inspirational and serve as a bridge to promote understandings between people from China and the U.S.," said Jones, who is also one of the judges of the competition.

"Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Eastern U.S. is sponsored by the Office of Chinese Language Council International, known as "Hanban", and organized by the New York Service Center for Chinese Study Fellows.