The 21st ‘FLITER CUP’ National English Debating Competition was held at Beijing Foreign Studies University from May 17th to 22th, 2018. Du Zedong and Wang Junliang, undergraduates from the Department of English and International Studies, took part in the competition on behalf of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU). After nearly a week’s worth of fierce competition, the two students won the finals with meticulous reasoning and analysis, outstanding adaptability, fluent English, and excellent debating skills. Congratulations go to the two students, instructor Yang Qiang, and the English debate team of the Innovation and Practice Training Center of the Department of English and International Studies.

The ‘FLITER CUP’ National English Debating Competition is sponsored by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Secretariat of All-China Students' Federation, and Beijing Foreign Studies University, and organized by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. The event was established in 1997 and has been held for 21 consecutive years. It is the highest-level, most widely participated in, and most competitive debate competition in China.

In recent years, the debate teams from the Department of English and International Studies have made great achievements in some international competitions such as the International Debate Association International College Students Debate Competition and the China Open Debate Tournament. In addition, in order to promote the development of English debate activities, the Department of English and International Studies has established exchanges and cooperative relations with the debate teams of Rollins College and has successfully conducted mutual visits.

At present, the English debate team has established the CFAU’s debating brand within China and enjoys increasing popularity and recognition. Thanks to the emphasis of the Department of English and International Studies on students' critical thinking ability the efforts of the English debate guidance team of the Innovation and Practice Training Center and support from the leaders and other departments, we are able to enjoy our current achievements.