The Office of International and Cross-Strait Affairs at Tamkang University held the “2025 Academic Year International Student Chinese Reading and Speech Competition” at 6:00 p.m. on May 14 in the Ching-sheng International Conference Hall. The event aimed to enhance international students’ Chinese language proficiency while deepening their understanding of Chinese culture and Taiwanese customs. In the end, the Reading Competition was won by Jessica Rini Harianto and Natanya Ezraela Vonck Roos, while the Speech Competition champion was Asami Kura.

Dean of International Affairs Chien-Mu Yeh opened the event by encouraging participants and emphasizing that the competition was more than just a contest—it was also an opportunity for cultural exchange. He expressed hope that students would improve their Chinese proficiency through the event and develop Chinese language skills as a valuable asset for their future careers. A total of 17 teams participated in the Reading Competition, presenting short essays, song lyrics, and other literary selections to showcase their language-learning achievements. Meanwhile, 19 teams entered the Speech Competition, addressing a wide range of topics including traffic safety, Chinese-language learning, technology-related issues, and personal growth experiences.

The judges noted the diversity of materials chosen for the Reading Competition and highlighted that many participants wore traditional clothing from their home countries, demonstrating both creativity and dedication to the event. Regarding the Speech Competition, the judges observed that many students chose to share their experiences learning Chinese. They pointed out that one of the greatest challenges is expressing thoughts in a language that is not yet fully mastered, encouraging students not to fear making mistakes, as every attempt to speak is an important step in the language-learning process.

Representing Indonesia, Jessica Rini Harianto and Natanya Ezraela Vonck Roos from the Department of International Business stood out among the reading contestants with their presentation of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution of Indonesia. They explained that the Indonesian Constitution views colonial rule as incompatible with humanity and justice, and that the document was established to create a free and democratic society based on five fundamental principles. Both students remarked that they had only a short time to prepare for the competition and were pleasantly surprised and delighted to receive first place.

Speech Competition winner Asami Kura from Japan, majoring in Business Administration, delivered a humorous and engaging speech about Taiwanese people’s affection for Japanese culture. He shared that he often hears Japanese songs playing in restaurants throughout Taiwan and frequently experiences the warmth and friendliness of Taiwanese people toward him as a Japanese student. This inspired him to explore the cultural reasons behind such enthusiasm. According to Asami, the popularity of Japanese animation and music among many Taiwanese people has resulted in a strong Japanese influence on Taiwan’s entertainment culture. He also noted similarities between Taiwan and Japan in everyday customs, such as queueing etiquette and polite social interactions. He expressed pride in seeing his country’s culture appreciated abroad and hopes to have opportunities in the future to introduce Taiwanese culture to more people in Japan.