“21 st Century Cup”

National English Speaking Competition

(Hong Kong Region)
2 0 2 4 Pr oj e c t O v e r v i e w

Organizers:
 Nurturing Future Talents Together

Building Affection for the Country and Hong Kong

Enhancing Civic Awareness
• Cultivate among young Hong Kongers affection for the
motherland and the city, a global perspective, professional
skills, a lifelong-learning spirit, and a positive mindset;
• Implement exchange programs between them and their
peers in Chinese Mainland, to enhance their sense of
belonging to the country and the city;
• Develop communication platforms for them to exchange

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their opinions on current public affairs, thereby enhancing
their sense of social responsibility.

Fostering Children via Individualized Education Empowering Youth with a Global Perspective
Equipping for the Future Facilitating All-Round Development
• Provide quality and diversified kindergarten, primary,
secondary, and vocational education, preparing young
Hong Kongers for future challenges and opportunities;
02 • Aligning with the “Belt and Road” Initiative and Hong
Kong’s “eight centers” positioning, provide young Hong
Kongers with international study tour and internship
• Work with other stakeholders to strengthen Hong Kong opportunities, such as the "Belt and Road Region
education system on three fronts: unleashing the potential Exchange Subsidy Scheme;“
of students, improving the effectiveness of teaching and • Create upward mobility for them by providing multiple
learning, and creating strong impetus for growth; development opportunities and resources that level up
• Support them to participate in various learning activities, their all-around abilities and competitiveness.
diversifying their learning experiences.
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 China Daily “21st Century Cup”
To hone Chinese youth's English public speaking skills and empower them to tell China’s story well to the world,
China Daily launched the "21st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition (NESC) in 1996, which
has since held 28 successful sessions.

Widespread Divisions
200+ regional divisions nationwide, with 7
categories including the ones of Youth, University,
Secondary School, Primary School, and
Kindergarten

High Participation Rate

Millions of young participants from 10,000+ schools
signing up for the competition annually

Great Authority
The only official selective trial in China for the
International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC)
organized by The English-Speaking Union

Elite Training Camp

A talent training camp with high academic
standards aiming at cultivating youth capable of
telling China’s story well

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Highlights

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Liu Xin
Host for China Global Television
Network (CGTN)
The national champion of the
inaugural “21st Century Cup” NESC
The world champion of IPSC 1996
The Previous Brilliants
Sun Ning
Director of the Department of the
Translation and Interpretation of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the PRC
The national champion of the 7th
"21st Century Cup" NESC
Zhang Jing
Senior interpreter of the
Department of Translation and
Interpretation of Foreign Affairs
of the PRC
1st Runner up of the "21st
Century Cup" NESC(University
Category) 2005
Wang Guan
Chief Political Correspondent of
CCTV North America (2011-2019)
Fourth place in the 10th “21st
Century Cup” NESC
One of the “Global Youth
Leaders” elected by Davos World
Economic Forum
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 Hong Kong Region
✦ Launched in 2017 and 6 sessions
held since
✦ Inviting 1000+ local kindergarten,
primary and secondary schools, and
2018 2021
universities every year
✦ 15,000+ students from 400+
schools participating previously
✦ The champions expected to step
into the national finals
✦ 2 national championships already
won by Hong Kong students in the
past years
2019 2022

2020 2023
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Chief Executive of HKSAR
John KC Lee, GBM, SBS, PDSM, PMSM
Whenever you can, do tell to the world a good
Hong Kong story, a story within the structure of
“one country, two systems.” It is paramount for
the global community to know our achievements
and unique advantages as the Pearl of the Orient.
Convenor of the ExCo and
member of the LegCo
Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee GBM, GBS, JP
Public speaking can cultivate the courage and
self-confidence of young people. They should
read more and discover more the fun of English.
Practice more and keep trying, and your English
will be improved without you realizing.
Messages
Chief Secretary for Administration of HKSAR
Chan Kwok-ki, GBS, IDSM, JP
The competition and the exchange program
enable Hong Kong students to gain valuable
experiences in public speaking. They will also
meet and work together with other bright young
people who is shaping our motherland’s future.
Secretary for Culture and
Tourism of HKSAR
YEUNG Yun-hung, Kevin, GBS, JP
The competition provides an excellent
platform for Hong Kong students to
showcase their language skills and critical
thinking. Here, the students’ voices could
be heard in a more impactful way and by a
broader audience.
Secretary for Education of HKSAR
Dr Choi Yuk-lin, JP
The competition provides students with opportunities
to practice public speaking, thereby enhancing their
communication and critical thinking skills. I hope to
see more of such competitions to enrich our
students' learning experiences.
Secretary for Home and
Youth Affairs of HKSAR
MAK Mei-kuen, Alice, SBS, BBS, JP
The competition is conducive to promoting
exchanges between students in Hong Kong
and Chinese Mainland. Also, the kindergarten
category is a particularly great initiative, since
it is better to cultivate language proficiency
from a young age.
Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group
Allan Zeman
I was impressed by all the students. When we
have a young generation smart and capable
as this, you know Hong Kong is in good
hands. I look forward to seeing them shine on
the global stage and make great impacts.
Political Counselor of Office of the
Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the PRC in the HKSAR
Huang Jing-rui
I was thrilled to see students of different
backgrounds all presenting English speeches
with confidence. This makes me have high
expectation for those Hong Kong youth able to
tell good stories of both the city and the country
to the world. 7
 Students’ Remarks
Wong Tse Chun Jason Ma Hiu Chun
Champion Champion
University Category 2023 University Category 2022

The competition has reminded me of why I love public After I won the regional championship, I went to Chinese
speaking in the first place. Writing scripts, doing the impromptu Mainland to participate in the national final, where I met other
speech, and having an dialog with the judges really ignited my competitors nationwide. They had great English proficiency
passion for public speaking. and fresh perspectives. This motivated me a lot.

Vijay Narayanan Suen Chung Man Christian

Champion
National Champion
Junior Secondary Category 2023
Senior Secondary Category 2019

I will definitely participate in the next year’s competition, as

Know that your words have power, and that for those few short
expressing thoughts and feelings on the stage was a real joy. For
minutes, you are the star of the show, so please utilize well this
me, speaking for a few minutes in front of the judges was like
precious opportunity, letting the world hear you.
sharing my ideas with the whole wide world.

TSANG Lok Yi Sham Pui Yan

Best Impromptu National Champion
Senior Secondary Category 2023 Junior Secondary Category 2020

This competition helps me learn loads. While preparing for the topic, I Participating in this competition has been an incredible
learned many important things about courage unknown for me experience for me, and I thus want to encourage everyone
before. I love speaking on the stage and I will definitely join next around to join the competition in the coming future.
year.

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 Media Coverage

The past competitions received coverage from numerous media outlets, including
Government News, RTHK, Phoenix TV, Commercial Radio, Sing Tao Daily, Wen Wei
Po, People's Daily Online, Xinhua Net, China News Service, AM730, TVB, CableTV,
NowTV, and HK01.
Information about this event has also been spread widely on major social media
platforms by over 30 official channels under China Daily Group.

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From pre- to post-competition, we provide students with quality learning resources and experiences, as well as opportunities to showcase their talent.
Pre-Competition Training
Expert trainers conduct training
for students in key English public
speaking skills, so that students
could develop their performance
excellence and confidence while
preparing for the competition.
More than a Competition
An Inclusive and Year-Round Commitment
Online Preliminary Selection
Students upload their speech
videos to the online judging
platform, where an expert judge
panel then do the evaluation.
The highest-scoring students will
proceed to the next stage.
Onsite Competitions
Students having passed the
preliminaries then enter the
onsite competitions, having a try
at doing impromptu speeches
and on-the-spot Q&A sessions
facing judges and audiences.
Post-Competition Benefits
Winners can engage in rich post-
competition activities to further
their learning journey, including
filming personal promos and
having exclusive interviews vis-à-
vis big names.
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Pre-Competition Training

English Public Speaking

Training Workshop

To impart English public speaking skills to more young

learners, VDO English has launched training workshops
for primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong.

By participating in professional training sessions,

interacting with expert trainers, and practicing together
with peers, students can make significant progress both in
their English public speaking skills and in their confidence
level in general.

Upon completion of the workshops, students can

participate in campus contests, the winners of which will
advance directly to the semi-final of the "21st Century
Cup" NESC (HK Region).

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 What can be Learnt
Public Speaking Basics
To deliver an eloquent speech, speakers need
to grasp many techniques, from
understanding the basic structure of a script to
putting body language into effective uses.
Through systematic learning, students can
establish a solid foundation that truly
facilitates their future success on stage.
English Proficiency
Using English as the language medium
presents another challenge for students apart
from the speaking in public itself. Thus,
learning advanced vocabularies, accurate
pronunciation, and suitable intonations among
other aspects of oral English is also a
constant emphasis in the workshops.
Effective Body Language
Captivating the audience is also a crucial part
of doing speech successfully as a
performance. Appropriate body language
serves as a powerful tool in this regards.
Some essential knowledge of body language
can give students a further leg-up, helping
make their speeches more impactful.
Pre-Competition Preparations
The “21st Century Cup” NESC provides
students with a golden opportunity to put what
they learn into practice. Towards the end of
the workshops, trainers are to guide students
through this year’s topic, helping them excel in
the campus contests and hopefully beyond.
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 Campus Contest
As a test on the workshops’ outcomes and to provide students with more practical experiences, we can organize intra- and inter-campus
contests following the completion of the workshops. The flows and marking criteria of the contests align closely with those of the “21st
Century Cup” NESC. Winners of the contests can advance directly to the semi-finals, where they are to compete with other outstanding
students from schools across Hong Kong.

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 "

Post-Competition Benefits • Student Anchors

Winners of the competition can have the opportunities to become student anchors for various video programs produced by VDO English,
which allows them to showcase their talents, enhance their confidence, and develop their all-round qualities.

Fun Facts VDO News

Targeting at young Keep young audiences informed
audiences, introduce about current social events and
knowledge from all walks of issues, while facilitating their
life with easy-to-learn English English learning.
delivered in a brisk style.

D-Campus
Encourage students’ personal
growth by letting campus KOLs
share their relatable stories and
experiences to their peers.

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 Post-Competition Benefits • Junior Scoop
“Junior Scoop” invites students to engage in conversations with esteemed figures from various fields in Hong Kong’s social
landscape. Not only does it serve as a bridge for inter-generational communication but it also highlights idea clashes between them,
out of which more could be learned for all.
Winner of Academy Award for Best
Production Design Tim Yip vis-à-
vis Hong Kong University Student
Ma Hiu-Chun
Tim Yip: “Ma Hiu-Chun was well
prepared. The young generation needs to
find strength within and start there, ready
to embrace information and knowledge
from everywhere. Just focus on one’s
self-development, be positive, and
contribute to the society in every way one
can.
Legendary Curator Jeffrey Deitch Prof. Wang Yang, Vice President
vis-à-vis Hong Kong Secondary of the HKUST vis-à-vis Hong
School Student Candace Lee Kong Secondary School Student
Aden Su
Jeffrey Deitch: "I greatly admire
Wang Yang: "I was pleasantly
Candace and the incredible young surprised by those well-prepared and
generation in Hong Kong that she insightful questions coming out of a 14-
represents. They definitely are a very year-old. For young people, the world is
impressive group, super enthusiastic, a exciting place with many beautiful
hard-working, dedicated, inspiring, and things awaiting. They should keep their
Rosewood Hotel Group CEO
equipped with a global perspective." eyes wide open to see what is there in
Sonia Cheng vis-à-vis Hong
the future.
Kong Secondary School Student
Shannon Lau
Sonia Cheng: "Shannon’s calmness
and confidence were impressive. For
the young generation, life will never be
a smooth sailing. However, precious life
lessons could be learnt throughout. Be
courageous and pursue your passion
and dreams no matter what."
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 About Us
Authority and Credibility
Founded in 1981, China Daily is a national
English newspaper that serves as an official
platform for a two-way communication between
China and the outside world. it is an important
channel for the country's outwards publicity and
meanwhile one of the most-quoted information
sources in foreign media when it comes to
China-related issues.
Multimedia Matrix
Leading the way in media convergence and
innovation, China Daily has developed a
multimedia and multi-dimensional news system,
consisting of various print and digital media
outlets and many influential channels on well-
known social media platforms worldwide. In
aggregation, its content could be reached by
over 450 million readers.
Globalized and customized Content
China Daily has not only up to 35 branches
within China but also 4 overseas branches in
Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, and United States.
It also publishes editions catering to different
audiences’ needs, including the Hong Kong and
the international ones, all attracting mainly high-
end readers such as diplomats and
representatives of international organizations
etc.
International Development
To better serve the global audience and amplify
China‘s voices, China Daily has maintained
active collaborations with leading international
media groups. Regionally, China Daily is a core
member of the Asia News Network (ANN),
whereby it can now serving over tens of millions
of readers throughout Asia via content-sharing
and collaborative reporting within the group.
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 About Us • VDO English
Founded in 2015, VDO English is an education subsidiary brand of China Daily Hong Kong Limited. It offers a vast collection of original and
interactive videos for English learners, making English learning fun and engaging. It also provides an online learning system which delivers
personalized learning paths for students based on their individual needs and progress. It also hosts a variety of offline events, such as the “21st
Century Cup” NESC (Hong Kong Region), school tours, study tours, and workshops, which adding together have attracted 200,000+ students
from 400+ schools.

English Video Platform English Speaking Competitions

School Tours
Online Learning System
Training Workshops
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 Brand Influence

VDO English has established a comprehensive new media matrix with six official channels spanning major social media platforms worldwide, all
updating daily to provide interesting content full of English learning tips and other useful knowledge beyond. Supported by China Daily and the 21st
Century Education Group which possess a total of over 50 new media accounts, its maximum data traffic potential could be up to 450 million.

China Daily Official Account

Website: 52 million+ daily page views
Mobile Application: 37 million+ active users
Facebook: 105 million+
Twitter: 4.2 million+ VDO English Official Account
Weibo: 64 million+ Facebook: 300,000+
TikTok: 36.34 million+ YouTube: 25,000+
WeChat: 15.8 million+ Instagram: 30,000+
Weibo: 400,000+
21 Century Education Group Official Account WeChat: 30,000+
Weibo: 700,000+ Official Video Platform: 40,000+
WeChat: 5 million+

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Supporting Organizations

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400+ Participating Schools

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 Timeline for 2024
National
Grand Finals
October 2024
Expert Judging Panel from:
Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government, Office of the Commissioner of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the HKSAR, The English Final
Speaking Union (Hong Kong), British Council, China Daily Asia Pacific, Hua May 2024
Jing Society, Hong Kong United Youth Association, Hong Kong Federation of
Education Workers, Hong Kong Women Teachers’ Organization, professors
from top universities in Hong Kong, and other professionals from major
financial institutions, law firms, and accounting firms etc.

Online Semi Final

selection April 2024
March 2024

Register
Jan 2024

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Thank You!