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Arts and Law student Tom Williams, dubbed the ‘golden boy' by his Chinese language teacher, has won another international competition.

The Honours student has earned first prize in a prestigious essay competition celebrating 40 years of Australia-China relations.

Tom recently returned to Perth after working on his Honours project in China, under the supervision of Gary Sigley , Professor of Chinese Studies.

The Fogarty Scholar previously won an Australia Asia Endeavour Award to study and work in China for up to a year. He also won third prize in a global competition for students of Mandarin, which judged their expertise in general knowledge and cultural understanding as well as the language.

He was chosen as Australia's sole representative at the 2010 Nkabom Commonwealth Youth Leadership program held in Rwanda. And he and fellow student Raymond Chester-Wallis won second prize in a film-making competition organised by Oxford University Press.

His latest winning essay outlined why the Australia-China relationship was of singular importance to Australia's national life and how the current Australian mindset concerning China was unsustainable and an impediment to future prosperity.

The essay identified the cultural and structural barriers that will need to be overcome to bring about this change and the policy, business, and personal initiatives that can be taken to achieve it.

"Ultimately," Tom wrote, "this essay posits that Australians, especially young Australians, need to critically assess our current frames of reference and motivators, and actively engage with our desired future in the Asia Century by taking proactive measures now."

Tom is currently the Australian National President of the Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA), an apolitical NGO that provides a platform for young Australians and Chinese to learn more about and engage with each other's nations, culture, and language. ACYA has a vibrant and growing chapter at UWA and is always seeking new, enthusiastic members. If you would like to become involved please contact Bryan Bong.