A contestant recites a poem during the university division of the final of the Chinese Poetry Recitation Competition 2026 at Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Chen)

Basmah bint Saeed, a Saudi schoolgirl, first encountered the Chinese language as a child at her family home, where visitors from central China's Henan Province spoke Mandarin.

Years later, driven by her growing interest in the language, she can sing more than 100 Chinese songs, including those incorporating elements of traditional Chinese opera.

On Sunday, Saeed, a student at No. 69 Intermediate School in the Saudi capital Riyadh, took to the stage at Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, wearing an elegant Chinese traditional outfit and reciting "Xiangxin Weilai" (Believe in the Future), a modern Chinese poem about perseverance and hope.

Her performance won first prize in the secondary-school division of the final of the Chinese Poetry Recitation Competition 2026, jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia and the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University.

Saeed was one of 25 contestants from Saudi intermediate schools, universities and the institute that took part in the competition.

Dressed in elegant Chinese traditional attire, the students incorporated music, videos and images of Chinese and Saudi landscapes, cultural landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage sites into their performances, transforming the auditorium into a vibrant meeting place for two cultures.

For some contestants, Chinese poetry and music also reflected personal memories and future ambitions.

Sadeem Mohammad Al Towaim, a Chinese-language major at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, won first prize with "I Love You, Chinese Characters".

Having spent part of her childhood in Guangzhou, the capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, she has maintained a strong attachment to the country.

"Since I returned to Saudi Arabia, I have always missed China," she said, describing Chinese people as warm and hospitable, qualities she found remarkably similar to those of Saudis.

Now, she teaches her younger brother Chinese every day and hopes to return to China for further studies.

After winning the competition, she smiled when asked whether she had shared the news with her family. "Not yet. If I tell my dad, he will call me immediately," she said.

Another contestant, Jwana Mohammed Al-Amri, recited and sang "Prelude to Water Melody," an ancient Chinese poem written by Su Shi, a famous poet of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

After studying Chinese for about three years, she has also developed a love for Chinese songs and hopes to pursue university studies in China, although she has yet to visit the country.

The program also featured Arabic poetry and a performance of the classical Chinese music piece "Fisherman's Song at Dusk" on the guzheng, a traditional Chinese zither.

The competition took place amid the expansion of Chinese-language education in Saudi Arabia. Since 2024, Chinese-language education has expanded into public intermediate schools, offering more Saudi students opportunities to study Mandarin.

The event also offered a glimpse of how that learning can extend beyond classrooms into literature, music and personal aspirations.

Zhang Xinying, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University, said that poetry offers a bridge between civilizations. Despite differences in language and literary expression, Chinese and Saudi people share aspirations for family, friendship, peace and a better life.

Zhang hoped that such exchanges would inspire more young people to deepen mutual understanding and carry China-Saudi friendship forward.

A contestant recites a poem during the university division of the final of the Chinese Poetry Recitation Competition 2026 at Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Chen)

A contestant recites a poem during the university division of the final of the Chinese Poetry Recitation Competition 2026 at Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Chen)

A contestant recites a poem during the secondary-school division of the final of the Chinese Poetry Recitation Competition 2026 at Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Chen)