The launch ceremony of the China International English Examination for Children (CEC), a test designed for global English language learners between the ages 4-12, was held in Beijing on April 9, 2021.  

The CEC will act as a platform for Chinese and foreign children to communicate globally by means of an effective and reliable language proficiency test.

Leaders and experts from China International Publishing Group (CIPG), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Working Committee of Care for the Next Generations attended the launch ceremony.

Yu Tao, vice president of the CIPG, pointed out that the launch of the CEC will facilitate the fostering of talents for international communication in his speech during the ceremony. The test will serve as a platform for foreign children who love Chinese culture to learn more about China and share their views on the country. Additionally, it will also encourage Chinese children to enhance their language ability from a young age and spread Chinese culture in a foreign language.

Guo Zhenyou, former national chief inspector of the Ministry of Education and executive vice president of the Chinese Society of Education, stated that language acts as a bridge in building a community with a shared future for mankind and emphasized the importance of starting to acquire languages at an early age.

Other speakers also expressed their congratulations on the launch of the CEC, including Huang Youyi, director of the National MTI Education Committee, executive vice chairman of the Translators Association of China, and former vice president and editor in chief of the CIPG; Wang Xiaohui, editor in chief of China Internet Information Center and deputy head of China Academy of Translation; Wang Jiyu, president of CATTI Project Management Center of the CIPG; and Chen Mingming, former Chinese ambassador and director-general of the Department of Translation and Interpretation at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All those involved believe that the test will be of crucial significance for strengthening China's international communication capacity and building a bridge for cultural exchanges between Chinese and foreign children via the tool of language.

Representatives of co-hosts of the CEC in Malaysia, Australia, Canada and other countries also sent video messages.

Dr. Michael Seamer, deputy CEO of the Institute of International Studies in Sydney, Australia, said via video that they are looking forward to devoting themselves to the promotion and organization of the test.

"Global communications are based on and depend upon the skill and knowledge of language and cultural understanding of those people involved in the interpretation and translation process. In particular, it is the youth that represent the important pool of talents and the future of friendship between our two sides," Seamer noted.

"Conducting the CEC test will play an important role in breaking down the language barriers in our international communications," he said.

The CEC test will be co-organized by CATTI Project Management Center of the CIPG, the Talent Evaluation Committee of the Translators Association of China and China Internet Information Center, and joined by over 2,000 universities, primary and secondary schools, international schools and Chinese language and culture centers at home and abroad.

Guests present at the launch ceremonyincluded Ren Xiaoping, former Chinese ambassador and vice president of China Foreign Affairs University; Wang Weimin, professor of translation, member of the CATTI English Expert Committee and member of the National Senior Professional Titles (T&I) Evaluation Committee; Jing Wei, deputy director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (formerly Hanban); Wang Dahe, former researcher at the Examination Center of the Ministry of Education; and Zhao Weiqin, former director of the Audio-Visual Center of the Ministry of Education.

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