The runner-up Zhong, a junior high school student in Shanghai who is passionate about English, and who was competing for the second year in a row, said: "I think I have made huge progress compared with last year. I really enjoyed it, and it's a dream come true to be among the top three."

Zhong said that what made his success particularly satisfying was that the host of the final round was Zhang Bo, a news presenter on CCTV's Arabic channel whom he greatly admires.

"That's what gave me the greatest excitement."

The three other guests were Liao Wang, director of office in China of Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network, Dr. Jason Rosenberg of Harvard University and Lu Bo, co-founder of the Education Forum for Asia.

Zhong said he is keen to promote Chinese and Western culture exchanges, and has set up an English study platform on the social media app WeChat to exchange information about translation and English studies.

The third place-getter, Wang Congwen, was the youngest finalist at 12, and he said that in addition to his satisfaction at being third, he had made many friends by competing.

Wang's mother, said translation and interpreting offered another way of thinking, and it had greatly broadened Congwen's knowledge.

Topics covered in the finals included the debate over exam-oriented education, studying abroad and the difference between philanthropy and public service.

"This segment is designed to create a real scenario for interpreting," said Dr. Yong Ho, coordinator of the United Nations China Study Programme, who has helped supervise the event since it was first held three years ago.

"The topics this year were of educational significance and more relevant to the contestants."

Whether or not competition entrants should be stereotyped as future talent for the translating and interpreting profession, Yong made no bones about where their potential could be used.

"They have laid a very good foundation if they want to work for the United Nations in the future," he said.