The final of the M9+ International Chinese Speech Contest, hosted by the Inter-Ministerial and Provincial Collaborative Network for Internationalization of Medical Universities and undertaken by Wenzhou Medical University, was held in Wenzhou on May 30. Centered on the theme Connecting the World through Language, Healing Hearts with Medicine — My Growth and Commitment in Chinese Medical Education, the competition gathered 39 international students from 22 universities across China to share their firsthand experiences and insights of studying in China in Chinese.

Charlize Yliveane (Yu Jinlin), an Indonesian undergraduate majoring in Pharmacy, Class of 2025 at Zhejiang University, claimed the first prize with her speech Medicine Warms Hearts: My Journey of Growing in Pharmacy in China.

In her speech, Charlize recounted her academic pursuit. Her own skin troubles and subsequent improvements in skin care sparked her interest in pharmacy, motivating her to travel thousands of miles to pursue studies in China. Upon her arrival, she once felt overwhelmed by the unfamiliar language environment, intricate professional terminology and intense academic schedule. Nevertheless, she persisted and overcame obstacles step by step. During her studies, she came to appreciate the unique value of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine, and gained a deeper understanding of the responsibility and compassion of pharmaceutical professionals.

She expressed her aspiration to delve into the interdisciplinary field of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in the future. She hopes to build a bridge for pharmaceutical exchanges between China and the rest of the world using the Chinese language and contribute to global health initiatives. Her sincere and confident speech fully demonstrated the solid Chinese proficiency and enterprising spirit of international students at Zhejiang University.