The 7th Cross-Strait Interpreting Contest “Grouphorse Cup” Mainland Finals was held on December 10 at the University of International Business and Economics(UIBE). The first prize winners were Hou Boya from Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and Xiao Mei from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies(GDUFS). Together, the two winners won the title of Mainland Champions.

Launched in 2009, the contest has gradually become a widely popular competitive interpreting event, highly influential in the fields of interpreter training and academic research in both regions, following an increase in communication across the Taiwan Strait. It has been listed as a key project for cross-strait academic exchange by both the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Education.

△The “Grouphorse Cup” Mainland Finals

Tang Xing, chairman and president of Grouphorse Translations, was invited to deliver a speech at the finals. Accompanying him were Wen Yi, general manager of Grouphorse Translations, Beijing, and Gong Ming, assistant to the chairman of Grouphorse. Klink Zhou, assistant to the president of Grouphorse and general manager of the Grouphorse Global Center for Translation and Interpreting (GCTI), in his role as a professional interpreter and member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, formed part of the competition’s jury alongside the following distinguished judges: Zhang Qian, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality; Zhao Junfeng, dean of the School of Interpreting and Translation Studies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies; Yu Lijun, vice dean of the UIBE School of International Studies; Gui Lin, dean of the School of Humanities at the College of Science and Technology, Ningbo University; Professor Xiao Xiaoyan from the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Xiamen University; and Li Yingchun, a senior professional interpreter.

Numerous eminent guests were in attendance at the competition, including Zhao Haiyun, deputy director of the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), who delivered a pre-contest speech.

△ Zhao Haiyun delivers his speech.

△Tang Xing gives his speech.

The competition brought in 310 contestants from over 100 colleges and universities across China. Among them were 26 students from 21 prestigious schools, including BFSU, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Southeast University, Xiamen University, GDUFS, Sichuan International Studies University. Only having made it through the school and district-level selection processes, were these competitors finally able to advance to the Mainland Finals. 

△The Finals

△Klink Zhou acts as a judge.

△First Prize Winner, Hou Boya from BFSU

△ First Prize Winner, Xiao Mei from GDUFS

After the competition, judges Zhang Qian, Yu Lijun, and Bradley, an English Language teacher from UIBE, gave their comments on each contestant’s performance. Then, the first prize winners were presented with their winners’ certificates.

△Hou Boya and Xiao Mei are awarded their first prize certificates by Tang Xing and Zhang Qian.  

△Presenting the second prize winners: Zhao Junfeng, Xu Wenbin, and Yu Lijun.

△Presenting the third prize winners: Gui Lin , and Professor Xiao Xiaoyan.

△The Honorable Mention Award winners and presenters.  

△The guests