On the evening of 23 March 2012, Consul General Gao Zhansheng and Ms Wang Yanlai hosted a reception to congratulate winners of the 8th "Chinese Bridge Cup" contests. About 680 award-winning students and their parents, teachers, organizers and volunteers attended the event.

  Consul General Gao Zhansheng addressed the reception. With data and facts, he showed the rapid development of Sino-US trade cooperation and cultural exchanges, as well as the booming Chinese language education which plays an important role as a bridge in recent years. He encouraged the award-winners and participants to continue their efforts to learn Chinese and to make their contribution to Sino-US cooperation and friendship.  

  In the afternoon of March 23, Mr. Song Ru'an, Deputy Consul General presented in the award ceremony for the 8th "Chinese Bridge Cup" contests which held in Marina Middle School in San Francisco, and awarded the trophies for the winners with representatives from Confucius Institute at San Francisco State University and the San Francisco Unified School District.

  "Chinese Bridge Cup" contests have been held yearly since 2004 in Bay areas. The contests are sponsored by the Confucius Institute at San Francisco State University and the San Francisco Unified School District, co-hosted by Chinese Hanban and the Education Office of Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco. The contests this year include painting, calligraphy, brush calligraphy, composition, translation and poetry Recitation.  A total of about 1800 students participated in the contests this year, and  331 students win the  awards, including 1st prize of 35, 2nd prize of 45,  3rd prize of 62, and  189 Merit Award of 189. There were 44 winning students won more than one award.