World Collegiate Weiqi Championship Coming to Shanghai This July

The 10th Annual World Collegiate Weiqi Championship will take place at Shanghai's Fudan University from July 7 to 13, organizers announced on Sunday, noting it is the first time the tournament has been hosted by a university on the Chinese mainland.

Sponsored by the Shanghai Ing Chang-ki Weichi Educational Foundation, this intellectual sports tournament, held every July, aims to provide a platform for university Weiqi (also known as Chinese go) players worldwide to sharpen their skills and build friendships.

Song Hui, an official with the Shanghai Sports Bureau, noted that some 150 college students from across the globe are expected to compete and connect through Weiqi – an ancient strategic board game – making this year's event the largest in scale since its launch in Hong Kong in 2014.

Beyond competitions, the event will include friendship matches, lectures, and cultural experiences around the city.

On the same day, organizers also launched a training program for international students in Shanghai, designed to help them engage with China's traditional Weiqi culture.

The program will teach participants basic Weiqi rules and practical skills, with Chinese-English interpreters on hand to assist. It will also feature sessions on Chinese chic and traditional Hanfu experiences to make the training more engaging and help students gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

More than 200 students from local universities have signed up for the program, with 86 from 35 countries and regions ultimately selected. Seventeen top performers will win tickets to attend the July championship.

"We hope all international students can improve their Weiqi skills through this training and gain a fuller understanding of the philosophy of harmony, inclusiveness, and mutual progress that lies at the heart of the sport," Song said.