A national English speaking competition hosted by China Daily attracted hundreds of students to the Pavilion Hotel in Shenzhen on April 10, 2011.

The 16th China Daily "21st Century Cup" staged its final round in Shenzhen for the first time to support the Shenzhen 26th Summer Universiade -- to be hosted this August.

Twenty six Chinese college students and two overseas student participants, from South Korea and Thailand, each presented a four-minute prepared speech, a three-minute impromptu speech and went through a Q&A session during the competition.

Nineteen-year-old Xu Jiru, from Tsinghua University, won the competition's top award. She will represent the Chinese college students to attend the International Public Speaking Competition, sponsored by the English-Speaking Union (ESU), in London in May.

Wang Guoqing, deputy director of the Information Office of China's State Council, Zhu Ling, Editor-in-chief of China Daily, Yan Xiaopei, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Shenzhen and Huang Guoqiang, executive deputy director of the Executive Office of the Organizing Committee of Universiade Shenzhen 2011 presented at the awarding ceremony and gave speeches and congratulations to the contestants.

Kicked off last May, the competition attracted the participation of more than 7,000 college students from 19 provinces and municipalities through a mixed promotion via Internet and traditional media.

Judges are from leading universities and a variety of educational institutions from home and abroad, including ESU, Educational Testing Service and the BBC.

Besides the most prominent award of "China Daily 21st Century Most Promising Speaker", the competition has set up other single-item awards, including "Boree Most Popular Speaker", "BBC Best Impromptu Speech Award" and "TOEIC Most Graceful Speaker".

The winners of the competition may have the opportunity to participate in a short study abroad program in the United States, Australia, Hong Kong or Macao or work an internship with the BBC.

Video: Huang Lan

Voiceover: Chris Clark

Producer: Flora Yue

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