A contestant delivers her speech at the semi-finals of the 21st Century Cup National English Speaking Competition (Hong Kong Region) in a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui on May 22, 2022. (PHOTOS BY EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY) 

Hong Kong students took part in the semi-finals of the 21st Century Cup National English Speaking Competition (Hong Kong Region) in a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui from Friday to Saturday. 

Each year, more than a million students take part in the national competition, the largest of its kind in China. Winners of the national contest will represent China at the annual international competition in London. 

The “21st Century Cup” Competition, established in 1996, introduced the Hong Kong division in 2017 to provide a stage for local students to demonstrate their English proficiency. It also established a platform for youth exchanges between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.