Xu Lin, secretary-general of the organizing committee, hailed the importance of the event bring cohosted this year by China Foreign Affairs University.

"From next year our contestants will have the privilege of being coached by the university's best teachers. We have been devoted to building a pioneering platform to provide the best resources and opportunities to benefit young people."

Since the competition's inception it has drawn more than 100,000 entrants aged from 12 to 18, with the National Association of Foreign Language Education being its chief adviser.

This year for the first time students in Gansu province, Northwest China, took part in the competition. Foreign languages resources are scarce in the region compared with many other areas, including cities such as Shanghai and Nanjing.

A contestant from a middle school in Gansu who made it to the final six said: "I think it's such a great arena. I got no second chance; but I encourage younger people to take the opportunity to take part."

Zhang Gaoli, editor-in-chief of China Translation & Publishing House,said: "At present the competition is inaccessible in some remote areas of China,and we plans to include all the provinces within two or three years to ensure the resources are fairly distributed and enjoyed."

For the first time a translation competition co-hosted by China Translation Publishing House and the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House was held in conjunction with the interpreting event. It aimed to stress the all-round skills of interpreters and translators.

Also UNESCO presented a Special Honor Award aiming to encourage more young Chinese to become ambassadors for cultural exchange.

Ian Denison, chief of the Publishing and Branding Division of Public Information for UNESCO, said in a letter to contestants: "Through your talents peoples and cultures will be brought closer together, and through this dialogue nations can live with respect and peace throughout the world."

The competition of 2019 is to start in March next year.