Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

TWELVE finalists delivered powerful speeches reflecting their personal connections to the city at the final of the 2025 Speak Shenzhen English Competition on Thursday afternoon.

Under the theme “My City, My Story,” contestants took part in two challenging segments: a prepared speech and an impromptu “Global Link” session, where they responded to questions from around the world on current social topics.

The diverse pool of participants brought a wide array of perspectives to the stage, illustrating how individual stories collectively shape the identity of modern Shenzhen.

Xie Tao, a teacher from Shenzhen Technology University, claimed the championship after topping both rounds. In his winning speech, he recounted his journey of arriving and integrating into the city, echoing the local slogan: “Once you come, you are a Shenzhener.”

Rong Decheng, an engineer at Foxconn, secured second place by illustrating Shenzhen’s vitality, diversity, innovation, and cooperation through his own experience. Gu Zhongqing, a tech startup founder, and Yu Zhi, a teacher from the Southern University of Science and Technology, tied for third after offering sharp impromptu responses to topics such as the “lying flat” phenomenon and “a problem-solving superpower for Shenzhen.”

“I feel tired, but also really happy,” Xie said after his victory. “The experience that I had here can be of great value when I go back to the classroom.”

Contestant Wang Yuchen, already looking ahead, said, “What matters more is my connection with all those wonderful contestants. Next year, I’ll be here again standing on this stage. Hopefully I can be among the top three.”

Tim Beaumont, an associate professor at Shenzhen University who was a judge at the final, praised the contestants’ eloquence and presence. “They all had very good vocabulary, word choice, tone, and were very expressive with body language… Their personalities really shone through.”

Awards were also presented for outstanding organizational support and city-themed English vlogs.

Since its launch in July, the 2025 Speak Shenzhen campaign covered an English video blog initiative and an English competition. Side activities such as street English challenges and international community events have further boosted public participation.

Hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Government and undertaken by the Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Service Center, the English competition forms a key part of the city’s efforts to build an international language environment and strengthen its global cultural appeal.