As Chinese kids spoke English, I saw the world's future

Anybody who questions the power of the rising generation of Chinese children should have been with me at the judging table last weekend in Beijing's Haidian district. All doubts would flee.

I had been asked to serve as a judge of the 17th China Daily 21st Century-VIPKID Cup national high school and primary school English speaking competition, and was assigned to judge more than 50 contestants in grades one through six.

Students in the younger half of the group were required to give one-minute speeches; the older half could take two minutes. All were required to answer an impromptu question or two from Question Master Christopher Hart, a Fulbright Scholar from the United States and veteran of past competitions.