Technological Crossings, Claiming the Pinnacle of Thought | THIS Wins the Championship at the First Middle School Science and Technology Chinese Debate Invitational
On August 22-23, four students from the Chinese Debate Club at Tsinghua International School—Ken He, Martina Feng, Enya Chen, and Huang Wanyu (pictured above from left to right)—under the guidance of teacher Qian Chao, traveled to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum to participate in the semifinals and finals of the “The first Inter-Branch Crossing Cup Debate Invitational Tournament.” Introdudction Video of the Debaters
This competition, guided by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, was co-hosted by the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, the Shanghai Science Popularization Education Development Foundation, and the Debate Club of the Shanghai High School International Division. It is the first nonprofit youth debating platform aimed at cultivating scientific and technological innovation talents for primary and secondary school students. The competition aims to lead with technology, transcend boundaries, and hopes to popularize scientific literacy among young people through debate, allowing them to acquire knowledge through the honing of expression and thinking, making every student a beneficiary and promoter of science and debate. A total of 24 renowned debate schools from China and Australia were invited to participate. After fierce competition in the preliminary and rematch rounds, Tsinghua International School, High School Affiliated to Fudan University, The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, and Haidian Kaiwen Academy advanced to the offline semifinals and finals. The competition was held at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and was broadcasted live on platforms such as Shanghai Educational Television, the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, and the Principal’s Innovation Space Station.
SEMIFINALS
In the semifinals, we faced Haidian Kaiwen Academy with the debate topic, “Is the disconnection between work content and academic content a waste of educational resources?” We took the opposing side. Facing the opponent’s proficient debating skills and detailed evidence, our debaters discussed the reasons for work mismatches, the significance of university education, and individual freedom of choice, eventually winning by a narrow margin of 8:7. The next day, we competed against High School Affiliated to Fudan University—a well-known name in the high school debate community—for the championship.
After the semifinals, our debaters took a short break before beginning intense preparations for the finals. The debate topic for the finals was, “Should AI robots with independent consciousness have a set lifespan?” This topic not only involves technology but also touches on deep ethical and human considerations. For the participants, to articulate this debate topic clearly requires not only bold imagination but also rigorous logical argumentation. After a night of preparation, our four debaters confidently took to the stage for the finals.
FINALS
The finals were a star-studded event with unprecedented grandeur, featuring two top teams in the high school debate scene. The organizers invited several heavyweight guests to the venue. The final’s chair was the renowned TV host, Associate Professor at Fudan University, and debate celebrity Jiang Changjian. The five-member judging panel comprised masters in the fields of science, academia, and education: Professor Ding Hong from the Shanghai Jiaotong University, Li Zhengdao Research Institute and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Zhang Zheng, Senior Chief Scientist at Amazon Web Services and Director of the Amazon Cloud Technology Shanghai AI Research Institute; Professor Jiang Xuefeng from East China Normal University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry; Zeng Xianyi, Principal of Shanghai Xuhui High School and a Special-Class Principal in Shanghai; and Lai Changsheng, Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Shanghai Jiaotong University. The event was also broadcast live on multiple platforms.
The Best Debater: Enya Chen(See the photo on the left) Despite the lack of home-court advantage, our debaters rose to the occasion, delivering brilliant arguments through bold imaginings of AI technology and profound insights into human ethics. Their excellent performance won the judges’ approval, and they secured the championship with a score of 9:6. Enya Chen was also awarded the Best Debater of the entire competition for her outstanding performance!
In this competition, the debaters from THIS gained not only the honor of standing on the podium but also broadened their perspectives through contemplating future technology and human ethics. The teamwork and exploratory spirit they exhibited during the competition also reflected the core values of THIS!
Comments from the Participants
Enya Chen:
Debate has always been something I find interesting because it explores issues not based on facts but on clashing perspectives. This summer, I participated in the Mingyu Cup held in Shanghai with my team, and during the competition, I had friendly exchanges with teams from various places. Debaters from different regions have different techniques and styles, but what remains constant is everyone’s love for debate and dedication to truth. Through each encounter, I gained valuable friendships and cognitive improvements in this competitive activity. I look forward to meeting more excellent and sincere debaters in larger competitions. The championship we won this time would not have been possible without the collaboration and help of my teammates, especially our coach, Mr. Qian, who, despite the pressure of the upcoming school term, still spent a lot of time helping us prepare for the competition. I cherish every valuable experience and wish the younger members of the debate club success in bringing more honors!
Aslan Feng:
This competition was full of rush. From the moment we set out until we left, it seemed that every moment was a race against time. But this race was fulfilling and meaningful because it was a valuable experience that brought many rewards. Winning the championship may be just one of them, but more importantly, it was the ability to remain calm and think rationally under great pressure. Luck favors those who are prepared, and we did not disappoint those who supported us.
Ken He:
First of all, congratulations to Enya for winning the Best Debater! This was probably my last debate competition. I thought I would feel something special, but it actually ended quite suddenly and calmly, just like most journeys in the world. There’s not much to say about the second debate topic, but the first one was very fitting—Aslan, Martina, and I are all graduates about to enter university, and this debate topic made us re-examine our chosen majors and the purpose of university life. Perhaps this is the charm of debate—it teaches you something even in the final moments.
Martina Huang: When filming the promotional video for this competition, I realized that debate gives me the ability to think from multiple perspectives, and this characteristic was perfectly showcased in this competition. AI-related topics are generally one-dimensional, but the discussion on setting a lifespan for AI in this competition greatly challenged my preconceived notions about AI-related debates. This competition wasn’t just about piling up data and arguments; rather, it pushed debaters to use their imagination to drive logic and win the debate. This is one reason why I love debating—it is never one-dimensional, and its angles of thinking always hold infinite possibilities. I enjoyed the intense discussions with friends during preparation and the thinking outside the box that each debate brings. 
