The 29th "21st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition was held in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province from October 17 to 21. Three XJTU students—Fan Yifan (English major), Xu Yuhan (Measurement and Control Technology and Instrumentation major), and Huang Siqi (Computer Science major)— each won a National Second Prize.

This achievement places XJTU first in Shaanxi Province in both award level and recipient numbers. Chang Hong, Qian Xi, and Zou Haojing from the SFS received the Excellent Instructor Award.

The competition, which spanned 10 months of preliminary, regional, and provincial rounds, had 239 finalists from over 30 divisions, who advanced to the national stage.

The first round of the grand final is themed around "The Revival of Traditional Culture". Contestants shared personal observations on the revival of traditional culture, detailed Generation Z's enthusiasm for its promotion through diverse approaches, and analyzed how evolving media technologies have strengthened cultural communication. Their speeches acclaimed new generations' effort in applying digital tools to the grand cause of driving cultural revival, enhancing confidence in Chinese traditions, and boosting China's cultural soft power.

The second round, themed "The Only Way Out Is Through", encouraged contestants to uphold perseverance amid challenges. Contestants expounded on the importance of resilience and determination for personal growth, national development, and international collaboration. Judges evaluated contestants' overall performance in aspects including critical thinking, language skills, delivery through prepared speeches, impromptu speeches and Q&A sessions.

XJTU's three students excelled throughout these rounds, demonstrating quick thinking, fluent expression, and poise. Their performance highlighted the XJTU's emphasis on comprehensive abilities, patriotism, and sense of responsibility.