The 12th Shenzhen Expat Chinese Talent Competition was held in Shenzhen on Dec 5, providing a platform for foreigners to share their life in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and showcase their Chinese skills.

Twelve finalists from eight countries, including the United States, Russia, Mexico, South Korea and India, took part in the competition.

The competition consisted of three parts – a three-minute speech in Chinese about life in the GBA, a Chinese word-guessing game and a talent show.

A young participant showcases his talent at the 12th Shenzhen Expats Chinese Talent Competition. [Photo/Shenzhen Daily]

South Korea's Kim Moon Cheol, a postgraduate student at Shenzhen University, said he is dedicated to becoming a "cultural ambassador" upon graduation to promote Chinese language. He hopes to contribute to cultural exchange between South Korea and China.

Maksim Silenko from Russia came to Shenzhen in 2018 and now works as a staff member at Shenzhen MSU-BIT University. He chose to settle down in Shenzhen not only because of the job, but also because of his love for local customs, he said.

Expats also expressed their love for Chinese culture through various forms. Kazanova Anna from Russia, for example, won loud applause by singing a famous Cantonese song.

After three rounds of competition, Oh Aroum from South Korea grabbed first place in the adult group, while Deborshim Nath from India won in the juvenile group.

The annual event, launched in 2010, was hosted by the Shenzhen municipal government information office and organized by Shenzhen Daily.