Results & Report of the 1st China National High School English Debating Championships

The 1st China National High School English Debating Championships 2011 was held from 23rd to 29th July at the prestigious, century-old Jinling High School in the ancient city of Nanjing, China. A total of 32 high school teams from 6 Chinese cities, Nanjing, Chengdu, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Macau and Hong Kong competed in 8 World Schools Style Preliminary Rounds from 25th to 27th July. 12 teams advanced to the Pre-Quarter Finals on 28th July.




In the Grand Final, Team Pointless from Hangzhou Foreign Languages School from Hangzhou City, comprising Kevin Wang, Li Shu and Eunice Yu, defeated Team Ying Wa College from Hong Kong on a 5 to 2 majority vote. The Best Speaker of the Grand Final was Kevin Wang of Hangzhou Foreign Languages School. The debate motion for the Grand Final was "This House believes Western Governments should assassinate dictatorial leaders who use violence against their own people to stay in power."



The Best Speaker of the Tournament was Ms Fernanda Lai of Diocesan Girls' School from Hong Kong.



I would like to thank the following key people for making this inaugural event a smoothly organised one full of excellent debates and great fun for the 100-odd Chinese high school students:



Conveners: Ms Winnie Wang, Mr Benjamin Chen and Ms Tang Meng

Deputy Chief Adjudicators: "TJ" Thepparith Senamngern, Nicole Ng, Zheng Bo, Christy Bradley

Registration Directors: George Chen and Elliot Shi

Invited Independent Judges: Ms Faith Raagas, Ms Smile Deng, Ms Sufey Chen, Ms Kan Ma, Mr Raymond Lio, Ms Athena Liu, Ms June Fang, Ms Wang Ying Chong Grace, Ms Maria Qu, Ms Kata He, Ms Wang Yihan, Ms Kathy Zhang, Mr Tom Tung, Mr Diego Fang, Mr Low Kim Heng, Mr Nicholas Huang, Mr Tan Qi, Mr Neo Shao, Ms Nicki Liu, Mr Ted Cheng, Ms Rowena Wu, Mr Noah Wise



The full Results of the event and the Debate Motions are below:



12 Breaking Teams:

1. Avada Kedavra (Semi-Finalist)

2. Straight Man! (Semi-Finalist)

3. Pointless (Champion)

4. YingWa (Finalist)

5. Ciborium (Quarter-Finalist)

6. Muhammed Ali Hussein (Quarter-Finalist)

7. Nirvana (Quarter-Finalist)

8. CR Winner (Quarter-Finalist)

9. Accelarator (Pre-Quarter-Finalist)

10. Wingardium Laviosa (Pre-Quarter-Finalist)

11. The Catalyst (Pre-Quarter-Finalist)

12. Decepticon (Pre-Quarter-Finalist)



Best Speakers of the Tournament:

1. Fernanda Lai(DGS), HK, Avada Kedavra

2. Carrie Li (HFLS) Avada Kedavra

2. Sally Feng (HFLS) Straight Man!

4. Kevin Wang (HFLS) Pointless

5. Amy Wu (HFLS) Straight Man!

6. John Ye (HFLS) Straight Man!

6. Eunice Yu (HFLS) Pointless

8. Li Shu (HFLS) Pointless

9. Phyliss Qian (HFLS) Avada Kedavra

10. Alex Leung (Ying Wa College), HK, YingWa



5 Special Awards:

1. Most Enthusiastic Debater Award: Hammer An, (Nankai High School), Debatepedia

2. Most Stylish Debater Award: Alex Leung, (Ying Wa College, HK), YingWa

3. Most Humourous Debater Award: Joe Johnson, (JLHS), Three Stupid Idiots

4. The Spirit of Debate Award: Gollum Yang, (CFLS) Bald Lovers

5. Best Teammate Award: Caesar Gao, (NFLS) CR Winner



Debate Motions:



Round 1

This house would ban advertisements that use gender stereotypes.

Round 2

This House believes that university students should pay the full costs of their education.

Round 3

This House believes that environmental protection should come second to economic growth in developing countries.

Round 4

This House believes that animals should not be used as objects of sport and entertainment.

Round 5

This House would allow citizens to sell their organs.

Round 6

This House would require that students in all high schools (secular, religious, public, private, etc.) learn the beliefs of people of all major faiths, including those of no faith at all (atheists/agnostics).

Round 7 (Silent)

This House would require users of online social networks to disclose their real identity.


Round 8 (Silent)

This house believes that prisoners should have the right to vote in general elections held to form a national parliament.

Pre-Quarter Finals

This House believes that all countries should give up the use of nuclear energy.

Quarter-Finals

This House believes that the Arab World should stop selling oil to France until it removes its ban on the wearing of the Islamic Female Head Dress (Burqa) in Public.

Semi-Finals

THW allow school boards to fire teachers whose class consistently underperforms in standardized tests.

Grand Final

This House believes Western Governments should assassinate dictatorial leaders who use violence against their own people to stay in power.



The Full Tab of the Championship is found at:



http://debateclub.cn/minisites/CNHSDC2011-FullTab/index.html



cheers,





Loke Wing Fatt

Chief Adjudicator & Overall-in-charge

1st China National High School English Debating Championships 2011

President



Society for Associated Inter-Tertiary Debaters (SAID)

Singapore

Website: saidsg.wordpress.com