SOFIA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's national qualification for the 11th "Chinese Bridge", Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, was held here on Monday.

Seven students representing three Bulgarian universities showed their rhetorical skills and familiarities of Chinese culture.

Alexander Alexiev, Director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, said at the opening ceremony that though it may not seem very difficult at first glance, participants prepared very hard for this contest.

Jia Li, Chief Counselor of the Chinese embassy in Bulgaria, said that knowing the Chinese language could create more and better opportunities amid the continuous development of bilateral relations between China and Bulgaria in various fields.

Lachezara Pravcheva, a student at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" won the competition and will participate at the final stage in China.

The event was jointly organized by the Confucius Institute in Sofia and the Chinese embassy.