Champions from all six categories strike a pose during the awards presentation ceremony held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on May 10, 2025. EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY

　　The “21st Century Cup“ National English Speaking Competition held its eighth Hong Kong regional final on Saturday, with guests at the awards ceremony praising the event for expanding students' global perspectives and reinforcing the special administrative region's reputation as a hub for biliterate and trilingual talents.

　　Organized by China Daily Hong Kong and its education arm VDO English, this year's competition drew more than 1,500 students from some 300 schools in the SAR.

　　Following the final on Saturday morning, contestants, parents, teachers, as well as representatives of the education, business and media sectors convened at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for the awards ceremony in the afternoon.

　　The competition featured six categories, ranging from kindergarten to university students. A notable highlight this year was the introduction of district-level contests, providing a broader platform for participants from all of the city's 18 districts to showcase their oral English skills. The invitational contest that brought students from the Chinese mainland to the SAR and introduced last year, has been retained this year.