Jakarta. Mandarin is playing an increasingly important role in the professional world, making it a valuable skill for young Indonesians seeking to compete globally in the future, ChineseRd Director Guo Xinlin said in Jakarta on Saturday.

Guo made the remarks on the sidelines of the Mandarin Champion 2026 Final, held at the campus of Bunda Mulia University.

The event was organized by ChineseRd, a global Mandarin education institution based in Shenzhen, in collaboration with Bunda Mulia University. In addition to the Mandarin language competition, the program also featured the launch of a digital career platform and a job fair.

Guo said the career platform developed by ChineseRd connects alumni and curated talent from its network with major Chinese companies.

“In addition to supporting language learning through automated correction features and pronunciation practice, this year’s latest innovation is an AI-based recruitment system on our career website,” Guo said.

“The technology conducts initial screening and precise role matching, enabling companies to filter thousands of applicants more effectively and accurately.”

Symphony Akelba Christian, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Bunda Mulia University, said competition participants demonstrated not only strong language fundamentals, but also the ability to think and express ideas in Mandarin.

“This is the core purpose of language education -- to make language a real tool for communication and personal development,” Symphony said.

She welcomed active participation from the business sector, saying it helps bridge Mandarin language skills with employment opportunities while strengthening an education model that integrates language, human resources, and industry.

Meanwhile, Chen Wu, Education Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, said mastery of Mandarin is not merely a linguistic skill but also opens broader opportunities for international communication and career development.

“This event reflects synergy between the education sector and the workforce, while also demonstrating increasingly close cooperation between Indonesia and China across various fields,” Chen said.

The job fair was attended by several Chinese companies operating in Indonesia, including Bank of China Limited, Zisheng Pacific Trading (Mixue), Trina Mas Agra Indonesia, Global Yimi Cargo (J&T Cargo), Haidilao Indonesia Restaurants, Huayou Nickel Cobalt, China Harbour Indonesia, China Construction Yangtze River Indonesia, BYD Motor Indonesia, Yili Indonesia Dairy, Jingdong Industrials Indonesia, FiberHome Technologies Indonesia, Power China Inteligensi, Integritas Energi Teknologi Indonesia, Miraitowa Jaya Abadi, Air China Limited, and ChineseRd.

“We do not only aim to produce individuals who are proficient in Mandarin, but also to ensure they have bright futures through seamless industry connections,” Guo said.

“This job fair also adds value for Mandarin Champion finalists by expanding their professional networks and opening career opportunities at leading Chinese global companies, making Mandarin proficiency a strategic asset in industry.”

Mandarin Champion 2026
Mandarin Champion 2026 marked the second edition of the competition organized by ChineseRd, designed to test participants’ Mandarin language proficiency.

This year’s contest featured three main categories based on age group and competition format:

Category A — Mandarin Poetry Reading for junior high school students aged 13-15
Category B — Mandarin Poetry Reading for senior high school and vocational students aged 16-18
Category C — Mandarin Speech Contest for university students aged 19-22

In the poetry reading categories, participants were assessed not only on pronunciation, but also on interpretation, emotional delivery, and linguistic maturity.

In the speech category, contestants were challenged to demonstrate active, persuasive, and communicative Mandarin skills while presenting ideas before the judging panel.

A total of 1,712 participants from across Indonesia took part in Mandarin Champion 2026, ranging from junior high school students to university students.

“The high number of participants is clear evidence of the strong enthusiasm among Indonesia’s younger generation to develop Mandarin skills as both an academic and professional asset in the global era,” Guo said.