A Chinese girl won first prize in an international English writing contest, which will enable her to have a two-week free trip to Canada.

In her article, the 15-year-old, Cai Lixin, called for control of emissions of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide and other pollutants. She said that with the melting of glaciers resulting from global warming, the earth may run the risk of becoming a "water globe" that will inundate human beings.

While attending the prize awarding ceremony Tuesday in Beijing, Canadian ambassador to China, Howard Balloch, said he is glad to see young people are growing environmentally conscious.

Cai, who is a student at the Beijing No. 4 High School, was surprised to learn that she was the first prizewinner. She said, "I am very excited. You can hear my voice trembling."

Cai's mother is an environment worker in Beijing while her father works in finance. The girl said she likes to read articles on science since childhood and she started learning English when she was a pupil.

The contest is part of cultural activities for celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Canada.

The contest is sponsored by Cai's school and Ottawa-based Ile Hull secondary school. English is also a second language for French speaking students at the Ottawa school.

This is the first time for the two schools to hold such a contest. Students were required to write articles in English with the theme of environmental protection.

In each school, 100 students took part in the contest and 30 of them won prizes, ranging from the first to the seventh place.

Prizewinners in the Ottawa school will not be known until next week. The first prizewinner in the school will have a free trip to China.

Two-way air tickets for the two top prizewinners will be offered by Air China and they will live with the family of the first place winner of the opposite country. The trips for them are arranged in the first half of next year, Canadian embassy officials said.

(Xinhua 11/22/2000)