Leaders from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People's Republic of China, gathered in Vientiane, Laos, for the 27th ASEAN-China Summit on Oct 10, where they jointly released the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation in People-to-People Exchanges.

The statement emphasized full-spectrum educational collaboration, spanning from preschool to higher education, including vocational and adult education, with a specific focus on digital transformation to meet evolving labor market demands.

In recent years, China has significantly increased its support for education in Southeast Asia, becoming a key partner in the region's educational development. In 2021 alone, China's educational aid to Southeast Asia reached $4 billion.

These aid projects are largely driven by the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN-China cooperation mechanisms, covering areas such as cultural exchange, language promotion and talent cultivation, opening up vast prospects for future educational collaboration.

One of the key areas of cooperation is vocational education, where China is helping Southeast Asia develop a new generation of talent proficient in both the Chinese language and professional skills. By the end of 2023, China had launched at least 70 joint student training programs with ASEAN vocational institutions and established 19 vocational education alliances.

The Luban Workshop, a flagship initiative of China's vocational education outreach, has established eight centers in ASEAN countries, serving as a key platform for exporting Chinese technical standards and vocational training models.

Looking ahead, China plans to build 10 more ASEAN-China Institute of Modern Craftsmanship over the next three years, further supporting the region's vocational education development.