On June 20, 2013, the launch ceremony for the 2013 CCTV First Spanish Competition and First French Competition was held at the Beijing Media Center.
At the launch ceremony, Huang Chuanfang, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of CCTV, introduced the theme and significance of the competitions: On one hand, to inspire more Chinese people to learn foreign languages, promote international exchange, and better serve the country's reform, development, and economic construction; on the other hand, to enrich the programming of CCTV's foreign language channels and expand the influence of CCTV's Spanish and French international channels. Furthermore, the competitions will help discover more Spanish and French language talent and establish closer cooperative relationships with foreign language teaching and cultural institutions.
Representatives from key domestic universities such as Beijing Foreign Studies University, Peking University, and the Communication University of China, as well as officials from the embassies of Spain, France, Peru, and Uruguay in China, attended the event as partners of the competition.
According to the heads of CCTV's Spanish and French international channels, both the first Spanish and French competitions provide a stage for all Chinese citizens to showcase their foreign language proficiency and talents. Contestants may perform speeches, singing, recitation, drama, stand-up comedy, or impersonations in the corresponding foreign language. There will also be interactive Q&A sessions regarding Chinese and foreign culture. Registration for the competitions is accepted through both the live venue and the official websites (Spanish Competition official website: xyds.cctv.com; French Competition official website: fyds.cctv.com). The Spanish competition has established regional divisions in Beijing and Shanghai, while the French competition has established regional divisions in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Guangzhou. Contestants who advance from the regional divisions will compete for the final championship in three grand finals to be held at the CCTV headquarters this autumn.
It is understood that CCTV's international communication capabilities have steadily strengthened in recent years. It currently broadcasts 7 international channels: 5 foreign language channels (English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian), a Chinese international channel, and the English version of the documentary channel. The cumulative number of overseas subscriber households for international channels in various languages has reached 314 million, while also expanding audience scale through new media channels. CCTV now has two overseas branch stations in North America and Africa, five center stations in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, as well as 70 overseas reporter stations worldwide, with a total overseas editorial staff of approximately 520. The dual coverage of reporting networks and terrestrial broadcasting has made CCTV's position on the international communication stage increasingly prominent.
Currently, French and Spanish have considerable influence in China, and interest in learning them continues to rise. According to incomplete statistics, there are currently at least 95 universities in China offering French majors, and 45 universities offering Spanish majors. In addition, nearly 10 million people from French and Spanish-speaking countries come to China every year for business, tourism, study, and work.
