Kyushu U students participate in the 5th All-Japan University Students' Chinese Speech Contest

On May 25, 2024, the 5th All-Japan University Students' Chinese Speech Contest (Air China Cup) held its Southern Japan Preliminary Round at Nagasaki University. Two students from Kyushu University participated in the contest: Mio Hatabu, a second-year student in the School of Economics, and Orion Matsuda, a second-year student in the School of Education. In the contest, Hatabu spoke about her experiences interacting with international students from various backgrounds. She gained these experiences while organizing an activity called "Coffee Hour" in the Kyushu University student dormitory. In his speech, Matsuda shared his ambition to help others, a resolve fostered by formative discussions with his mother during high school. As a result of the judging, Matsuda won third prize and Hatabu won the Excellence Award (Participation Award). The top three winners, including Matsuda, were invited to participate in the national competition, representing the Southern Japan region (Kyushu/Okinawa, Chugoku, and Shikoku).

The 5th All-Japan University Students' Chinese Speech Contest (Air China Cup) National Competition was held at Waseda University on June 22, 2024. Matsuda demonstrated the successful results of his practice, winning the Excellence Award (Participation Award). This achievement entitled him to participate in a study tour to China.

Associate Professor Zhu Bing of the Faculty of Languages and Cultures at Kyushu University helped the two students polish their speeches by reviewing their drafts. Besides Zhu, Assistant Professor Wu Xiuzhe, from the same faculty, along with graduate students Li Ruiyu and Yang Jiaqi from the Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Global Society, also offered pronunciation guidance.

The Chinese speech contest organizers:

• Society of Chinese Professors in Japan
• Council of Confucius Institutes of Japan

The Chinese speech contest sponsors:

• Center for Language Education and Cooperation, Ministry of Education, PRC
• Air China Limited

The Chinese speech supporters:

• Chinese Embassy in Japan
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Tokyo Japan-China Friendship Association
• The Japan Association of Chinese Language Education
• Chinese Language Teachers Association of Japan