On Oct 16, the second middle school students' German language proficiency show and China-Germany youth art performance were held at the Century Theatre in Beijing.

Around 200 experts, scholars and young students from China and Germany attended the event, during which students from middle schools in Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing of East China's Jiangsu Province and Guangzhou of South China's Guangdong Province, as well as students from the Euro Akademie Hannover in Germany, performed poetry reading, chorus, operas and musicals.

Chen Peng, Deputy Director of the China International Youth Exchange Center (CIYEC), noted that this event is aimed at arousing students’ interest in learning foreign languages, expanding their views and talents, and improving their international competence in the future. He expressed his hope that students from China and Germany, while showcasing their talents, will leverage their linguistic ability to build a bond and bridge for friendly communication among youths from both countries.

Wang Jianbin, consultant for the event and Executive Vice-president of an institute of international and regional studies of the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) said that over the 50 years since the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and Germany, the two countries have carried out active and effective cooperation on all fronts, and formed a solid foundation for cultural exchanges and cooperation. The future development of China-Germany relations relies on the joint efforts of young people from both countries, he emphasized.

The participating students agreed that the event helped broaden their horizons, allowing them to meet with excellent friends and teachers, and ignited a greater passion for learning German. They said they hoped to contribute to the cause of China-Germany friendship. Students from the Euro Akademie Hannover said that they were honored to participate in such an exchange activity during their study in China. They commended the participating Chinese students’ German proficiency and presentation skills and expressed their commitment to learning the Chinese language to gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese culture and Chinese people.

Ye Wen, Director of the public affairs department of Volkswagen Group China, said that language is important for communication, and that his company will continue to contribute to people-to-people exchanges among Chinese and German youths.

The event was hosted by the CIYEC and co-organized by the China-Germany Friendship Association and the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press of the BFSU. It was undertaken by Beijing International Youth Institute and Beijing Humboldt Bildungsanstalt, with support from Volkswagen Group China and the China Foundation for Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment.