Second National Speaking Competition on Area Studies

On November 28^th, 2020, the Second National Speaking Competition on Area Studies was successfully held in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. It was hosted by College Alliance for Cultivating Talents of Area Studies (CoACTAS), School of International Studies (SIS) of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) and Institute of Belt and Road Studies of SYSU and organized by the Communist Youth League Committee and Student Union of SIS.

In response to China’s strategic demands for talent cultivation on area studies, the Speaking Competition on Area Studies was held to encourage young college students to dedicate themselves to the great cause of building the community of shared future for mankind. Within just one month, over 400 students registered for the competition. All of them came from prestigious universities in China, including SYSU, Nankai University, China University of Political Science and Law, National University of Defense Technology, Shandong University, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai International Studies University and Jilin University. In the first round, over 140 outstanding students were selected for the live competition on November 28^th, 2020.

 (Jury panel with contestants)

The semi-final was held in four parallel sub-venues simultaneously. Contestants gave speeches on four topics: China’s Sense of Responsibility in the Fight against COVID-19 Pandemic, Chinese-foreign Cooperation post COVID-19 Pandemic, Change and Continuity in the World, High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation. In the speeches featuring a variety of angles and rich connotations, contestants told stories about how China provides the Chinese vision and copes with challenges when the world is undergoing unprecedented changes. Cheng Shanshan from SYSU elaborated on the cultural connotation of Belt and Road Initiative with a simple but meaningful story about Chinese-foreign cooperation; Wang Zhixia from Shandong University took the assistance of Chinese youth who marched ahead without hesitation in fighting against the pandemic as an example to demonstrate their sense of responsibility and hardworking spirit; Ma Wenjin from Northwest University, with the hope of improving the past achievements and pursuing future progress together, drew a rather concrete blueprint for Chinese culture promotion; Huang Ping from Shanghai International Studies University explained the change and continuity from perspectives of the changing history trend of humankind and the landscape of the world development respectively. All contestants successfully gave speeches relevant to the current events, and 24 outstanding ones among them marched into the final.

 (Semi-final in sub-venue)

This competition invited distinguished experts as jury members for the final. They were Wu Sike, former special envoy of China on the Middle East issue, former ambassador of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to the Arab Republic of Egypt, director of advisory committee of CoACTAS and jury president; Professor Luo Lin, secretariat director of international and regional studies of the Ministry of Education, director of academic committee of CoACTAS and jury president; Mr. Yang Guang, dean of Institute for International and Area Studies, Tsinghua University, president of the Middle East Institute of China and director of advisory committee of CoACTAS; Li Huaxin, former ambassador of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to the Republic of Iraq and to the Arab Republic of Egypt, former consul general of China in Sydney and vice director of advisory committee of CoACTAS; Mr. Ma Weigong, former deputy editor-in-chief of China Radio International and vice director of advisory committee of CoACTAS; Professor Yu Jiang, vice-president of Tianjin Foreign Studies University and co-chair of CoACTAS; Professor Cheng Wei, vice president of Beijing International Studies University and co-chair of CoACTAS; Professor Fu Zhiming, vice-dean of School of Foreign Languages, Peking University; Professor Han Zhibin, director of Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, Northwest University and vice director of academic committee of CoACTAS; Professor Ma Xiao, dean of School of Foreign Languages & Culture, Wuhan University and vice chair of CoACTAS; Professor Sun Chao, dean of Institute of Russian language of Heilongjiang University; Professor Ding Long, director of Academy of China Open Economy Studies and the Gulf Research Center, University of International Business and Economics and vice chair of CoACTAS; Professor Gao Guocui, vice-dean of School of Foreign Languages of Northeast Normal University; Professor Zhou Hui, vice-dean of SIS of SYSU.

At the opening ceremony of the final, Professor Chang Chenguang, dean of the competition host SIS of SYSU, delivered a welcome speech. He gave a brief introduction to the research achievements of SYSU on area studies and elaborated on the significance of talents of area studies for China’s strategic demands. At last, he hoped that contestants would learn more from each other and wished them a success in the speech competition.

 (Finalists with jury members)

Jury president Wu Sike also had high hopes for contestants in his speech. He stressed that serving as a high-quality platform for students, this competition played an important role in helping them learn more about Chinese culture, adopt an international vision and comprehend diplomatic strategies. In the end of his speech, he hoped that through the competition could students raise their sense of responsibility to dedicate themselves to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The final included two parts: Impromptu Speech and Questions & Answers. Contestants needed to give speeches focusing on one of seven topics including Community of Shared Future for Mankind in My Mind, BRI(Belt and Road Initiative) and Me, Tell Stories of China's Fight against Pandemic, China and World in a New Era, China's Image and Youth's Mission, Language Bridging People-to-People Gap, and If I Am an Ambassador. After the speech, contestants were supposed to answer some questions raised by jury members.

Based on the seven topics, contestants looked back to the past and forward into the future with combination of the present, and expressed their understanding of area studies in their inspiring speeches. From a variety of perspectives, they analyzed the current global landscape and shared their opinions as representatives of college students in the new era on issues like China’s fight against the pandemic, Chinese-foreign cooperation, BRI and the world in change. Facing the questions from the jury panel, contestants showed their confidence and insightful views, which earned them the great applause of jury members and the audience.

Based on the topic of Community of Shared Future for Mankind in My Mind, contestants agreed that to build a community of shared future for mankind, we should build on the past, focus on the current, and strive for the future. With the spirit of inclusiveness and mutual benefits, we were to take joint efforts to create a harmonious atmosphere featuring people-to-people connectivity and shared prosperity, so as to meet the worldwide people’s common longing for a better life.

Focusing on the topic of BRI and Me, contestants shared their own experiences. Taking examples like effective agriculture that drove economy growth in hometown, characteristic industries going abroad and e-commerce that transformed the hometown, they analyzed the relations between BRI and themselves, the significance of BRI and what young people should do to promote the initiative.

Centering on the topic of Tell Stories of China’s Fight against Pandemic, contestants started their speeches with stories of ordinary people’s fight against the pandemic and appealed to more people to take their responsibility in the fight, learn from “heroes in harm’s way”, and tell the truths in an impartial and transparent manner. Furthermore, they also proposed that young people should use the bilingual method to tell stories of China and undertake the mission to spread the spirit of China.

Based on the topic of China and World in a New Era, contestants mentioned China’s development and China’s major-country diplomacy, image and solutions in the new era. They explained China’s expectation of building a community of shared future for mankind when major changes unseen in a century unfolded in our world, effectively presenting the win-win relationship among countries that enjoyed the shared prosperity.

Focusing on the topic of China’s Image and Youth’s Mission, contestants delivered their speeches with an introduction to BRI and proposed that young people should keep the motherland China in mind, live in the moment, look into the future and embrace the trend. Young people needed to strive for improving themselves and proactively learn more foreign languages so as to introduce the beauty of China’s traditional culture to foreigners and tell China’s story well. Thus, keeping the mission of setting up China’s image well in mind, young people were able to contribute their efforts to presenting a comprehensive image of China to the world.

On the topic of Language Bridging People-to-People Gap, contestants mentioned the significance of making China’s voice heard. They said that languages were the bridge for exchanges and the carrier of culture. Under the framework of BRI, people from all countries should consider each other’s feelings, promote mutual understanding and break through barriers to embrace opportunities.

Centering around the topic of If I Am an Ambassador, contestants believed that as the key to promoting the cultural exchanges and mutual learning, the languages should be and must be able to play an influential role in facilitating the positive interactions and understanding among countries. Besides, all countries should actively participate in the global governance and take joint efforts to build up a community of shared future for mankind with the critical support of ambassadors who bridge the culture and language gap.

As all contestants finished their speeches, Professor Luo Lin, the jury president, expressed his congratulations on the success of the speaking competition. He praised contestants’ excellent performances for their insights, expressiveness and inspiring examples, and encouraged them to reinforce their knowledge of basic subjects so as to further area studies and demonstrate China’s position.

After the keen competition, the grand prizes were won by Guo Xueqing (Southwest Jiaotong University), Chen Dawei (China University of Political Science and Law), and Xue Qiaohong (Northwest University); the first prizes were won by Shao Zhicheng (SYSU), Song Yuyang (SYSU), Ming Haoze (Beijing Foreign Studies University), Chen Di (Northeast Forestry University), and Gao Lang (Information Engineering University); the second prizes were won by Yu Dongge (Jilin International Studies University), Zhang Lingxia (Northwest University), Pan Luxin (SYSU), Yang Li (Tianjin Foreign Studies University), Chen Xiaoshan (SYSU), Wu Ruoyi (Beijing Foreign Studies University), and Wang Zhixia (Shandong University); the third prizes were won by Fu Yifang (Information Engineering University), Ma Wenjin (Northwest University), Yang Yujiang (SYSU), Guan Hanze (SYSU), Gui Yupeng (Guangxi University for Nationalties), Liang Yingwen (SYSU), Kang Yiting (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China), Zhang Yuehui (Qinghai Nationalities University), and Cheng Shanshan (SYSU). Outstanding organization awards were won by institutions including SYSU, Beijing International Studies University, Northeast Forestry University, Qinghai Nationalities University, Sichuan International Studies University, Tianjin Foreign Studies University, Northwest Minzu University, Northwest Normal University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Luoyang Campus of Information Engineering University, and Jilin International Studies University.

 (Finalists with jury members)

Then the Second National Speaking Competition on Area Studies came to a successful conclusion. Since launched in mid-October, 2019 by SIS of SYSU, the competition had received participants from many colleges and an enthusiastic response. Moreover, over 30 students as staff members of the Communist Youth League Committee and the Student Union of SIS contributed to the organization of this competition. With the support and guidance of school leaders and teachers, they made a successful preparation and offered services for the competition within two months, well demonstrating the combination of in-class knowledge and after-class practice.