Guizhou regional finals of '21st Century Cup' competition begin

The primary school group quarter-finals of the regional finals of the "21st Century Cup" National English-Speaking Competition were held in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, on June 5 and 6.

The topic for lower grade students was "my favorite festival". More than 110 participants were given 90 seconds to deliver speeches and answer questions around the topic.

No 6-participant Tang Junyan is participating for the second time this year. According to Tang's mother, the competition is an ideal platform for children to learn from each other.

Meanwhile, around 100 senior pupils were asked to talk about who in their eyes is the bravest person. According to Ding Youyu, a fourth-grade student and participant No 11, the bravest people are medical workers like her father, who fought against COVID-19 last year.

This is the second time Ding has participated in the competition, and she is more prepared than last time with a lot of English readings.

No 20-participant Li Yuanrui is a huge fan of the recent historical TV drama Jue Xing Nian Dai (awakening age). He talked about early Party leader Li Dazhao, who participated in the New Cultural Movement and contributed to the founding of the Communist Party of China.

Li is experienced in Chinese speeches, and participating in an English-speaking competition has got him thinking about learning English. According to Li, he hopes to deliver a detailed English presentation to introduce China's revolutionary pioneers to the world.

One of the judges, Zhang Lifei, who is an English teacher at Guiyang No 16 Middle School, said that this year's topics inspired participants to consider their social responsibilities and future growth.

The competition is China's only qualifier for the International Public Speaking Competition, which takes place in London every May. Winners will be selected to represent China's teenagers to tell China's stories on the international stage.