Nepal on Sunday hosted the award ceremony of the 7th Ambassador Cup Chinese language contest and the 6th Chinese cultural performance competition in Kathmandu.

More than 70 schools and nearly 650 students took part in both competition organized by the Chinese Embassy in Nepal and hosted by Volunteer Chinese Teachers Home in Nepal.

Addressing the awarding ceremony, Nepali Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara said such educational and cultural contests will boost the people-to-people exchanges between Nepal and China.

"Students who are learning Chinese language within the country or in China under various scholarship programs can contribute to the building of new nation," Mahara said.

Mahara said that Nepal can highly benefit from China's Belt and Road Initiative in various areas including trade, road and railway connectivity, development of infrastructures and people-to-people relations.

Addressing the function, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong said that such educational and cultural exchanges are important for strengthening bilateral ties.

According to the volunteer Chinese Teachers Home Nepal, nearly 15,000 Nepalese students are learning Chinese language across the country. Around 70 elementary and middle schools along with a half dozen colleges offer courses in Chinese language to their students.

Beside Chinese language, Chinese cultural activities like dance, martial arts, calligraphy among others are populator in Nepal.