Students show English skills in prestigious contest

The opening ceremony of the 21st Century Coca-Cola Cup national speaking competition unfolded to a packed auditorium on the campus of China Foreign Affairs University on Wednesday in Beijing, co-sponsored by China Daily and Coca-Cola China.

Zheng Qirong, vice-president of China Foreign Affairs University praised the competition for inspiring the country's youth to express the voice of China in English to audiences both at home and abroad.

"The university is proud to be the host of the launching ceremony of such a high-standard competition, with its time-honored tradition and immense popularity among college students," Zheng said.