Recently, the Lijianbai Debate Team of the School of Economics and Management (SEM) successfully hosted the “Lijianbai Cup” Freshman Debate Tournament and recruitment assessment. The event not only brought new energy into the debate team and helped carry forward SEM’s debate culture, but also provided first-year students with a vibrant platform for training and self-expression. Through debate and teamwork, participants sharpened critical thinking, strengthened collaboration, and improved public speaking and on-the-spot response skills.
The tournament opened in October with an exhibition match by current team members. Centered on the motion “People who know how to ‘disenchant’/‘re-enchant’ the world are more likely to live happily,” both sides delivered fast-paced reasoning and intense exchanges, vividly demonstrating the unique appeal of debating and inspiring freshmen to engage with ideas through argumentation.
Registration and team formation gained strong momentum. A total of 12 teams were formed—covering all majors and classes—with more than 50 freshmen participating. Nearly 20 staff members and adjudicators also contributed to the organization and evaluation, reflecting broad engagement and strong support for the event.
Thirteen matches then unfolded in rapid succession. With high enthusiasm and impressive potential, freshmen teams debated thought-provoking topics and delivered compelling performances across all stages—from opening statements to closing summaries. Logical confrontation and rhetorical skill combined to produce many highlights, and several participants received Best Debater awards.
Before the final, the debate team arranged a focused training session for finalist teams to strengthen debate fundamentals and strategic execution, helping participants perform with greater confidence and clarity.
On November 18, 2025, the championship match concluded successfully. After advancing through the preliminary round, quarterfinals, and semifinals, the Accounting 2503 team and the Management Science 2502 team met on the final stage. They debated the motion “Emphasizing emotional value in intimate relationships brings more benefits than drawbacks/drawbacks than benefits,” engaging in a dynamic exchange marked by solid evidence, balanced offense and defense, and sharp reasoning.
The final invited three adjudicators from the Lijianbai Debate Team: Min Tao (Economics 2301, team leader in 2024), Qin Yuxi (Accounting 2401, current team leader), and Zhang Yanyue (Class of 2023 team member). The judges evaluated with professional rigor and, during the feedback session, guided participants to look beyond surface-level interpretations of “emotional value,” reflect on the core dynamics of intimate relationships, and consider how emotional bonds are sustained amid real-life pressures. Their targeted comments and practical advice offered valuable takeaways for the debaters’ continued growth.
After a close contest, the Accounting 2503 team won the championship, and Li Xiaotong (third speaker on the opposing side) was named Best Debater of the final.
Awards
Champion: Accounting 2503 — Yu Sanjiang, Chen Kexiao, Li Xiaotong, Yu Jingchen
Runner-up: Management Science 2502 — Chen Xinxin, Xiang Shiyan, Qi Ziyi, Han Biyang
Excellence Award:
Accounting 2502 — Qi Jiasheng, Yan Jinyu, Zhu Yufei, Li Yayijing
Economics 2501 — Wang Xi, Yang Rui, Hou Yancheng, Wang Lizheng, Dong Ke’er (Economics 2502), Wang Jingsen (Management Science 2501)
With the tournament completed, the debate team selected 32 new members through a rigorous recruitment process. They will continue to hone their skills, carry forward the team’s debating spirit, and contribute to the team’s ongoing development.
The event enriched freshmen’s campus cultural life, fostered critical thinking, teamwork, and communication abilities, and further cultivated an atmosphere of active inquiry and reasoned discussion within SEM. Since its founding, the Lijianbai Debate Team has remained committed to mainstream values, attentive to students’ intellectual development, and dedicated to nurturing high-caliber talent with strong analytical skills. The team has previously won honors such as First Prize in the university debate league and the university’s freshman tournament championship. Looking ahead, the team will continue striving for excellence on broader stages and bringing distinction to SEM.
