Contestants take a group picture with guests during the award ceremony. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Qi Xiaohu, publicity chief of Hangzhou, said that as a pivotal city in the BRI, the city has carried out economic and trade collaborations and people-to-people exchanges with more than 100 countries, regions and international organizations involved in the BRI.

"The competition, which attracted more than 30 young foreign talents to gather for dialogues between civilizations, is like spice seeds on the ancient Silk Road, which spread the fragrance of culture into the distance and makes the awareness of a shared future for mankind more deeply rooted in people's hearts," he said.

Lord Paul Boateng, English-Speaking Union chairman, said that the BRI requires a deeper understanding of each other's countries and that comes from not only the study of books, but also in young people relating to each other in conversation and cultural exchanges.

"And therefore we encourage exchanges, in which people come together from different nations and traditions of belief across the seas, by recognizing that there are things that bond us together with utilizing a shared language," he said.

China Daily 21st Century English Education Media initiated the "21st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition in 1996. As the competition's influence stepped up over the years, the range of contestants had expanded from kindergarteners to college graduates. This year was the first that the competition had an international category.