On 11 September 2017, the China-ASEAN Vocational Education Exhibition and Forum 2017 opened in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Forum, themed “the Value and Mission of Vocational Education in Regional Development”, was co-hosted by the Ministry of Education of China and the Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, organized by the Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was one of the supporters. More than 300 participants including H.E. Mr. Dato’ Zainuddin Yahya, Ambassador of Malaysia to China, Mr. Kongsy Sengmany, Vice Minister of Education and Sports of Lao PDR, Mr. Win Maw Tun, Vice Minister of Education of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Mr. Zheng Fuzhi, Assistant Minister of Education of China, Mr. Gao Feng, Vice Chairman of People’s Political Consultative Conference of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as education officials, experts and scholars from China, ten ASEAN countries, Timor-Leste, Belarus, Australia and Ethiopia took part in the Forum. H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC participated in the event and delivered remarks.

Assistant Minister Zheng Fuzhi stated that developing vocational education is the main part for China in promoting modernization of education. ASEAN countries and China should join hands to establish a long-term effective mechanism for vocational education exchange and cooperation, promote the internationalization of vocational education through education alliance, fully carry out the standard connectivity of vocational education systems, encourage the participation of industries and enterprises, and make efforts to realize sharing and construction of quality resources. Both sides should also promote regional cooperation of vocational education modernization through new technology such as internet plus and big data.

Vice Chairman Gao Feng cited that the rapid social and economic development and structural transformation and upgrading need a mass of high-tech skilled professionals. In recent years, Guangxi expanded vocational education cooperation with ASEAN countries, which produced fruitful outcomes by co-organizing the ASEAN-China Vocational Education Exhibition and Forum and signing Belt and Road Education Action MoU with the Ministry of Education (MoE) of China. Guangxi will work hand-in-hand with all walks of life, innovate cooperative modes, and

promote the integrated development of ASEAN-China vocational education.

Malaysian Ambassador Dato’ Zainuddin Yahya in his remarks pointed out that the rapid development of China and the promotion of Building Belt and Road have brought great opportunities to Malaysia and other ASEAN Member States, and vocational education cooperation between the two sides has broad prospects. Nowadays, Malaysia is making efforts to establish a vocational education system with government guidance and enterprises participation. Malaysian side would like to work together with all parties, seizing the opportunities and exploring innovation, so as to cultivate more personnel for ASEAN-China practical cooperation in all areas. Malaysia praised ACC’s remarkable contribution to promoting bilateral cooperation in vocational education, and hoped ACC could play an even bigger role in the future.

Vice Minister of Education of Myanmar Win Maw Tun commended that Myanmar is in the rapid transition phase of economic and social development while facing the challenge of shortage of talents, and it is very urgent to develop vocational education. In recent years, vocational education exchange and cooperation between Myanmar and China has been constantly deepened with fruitful outcomes. Myanmar thanked China for its support and assistance in education, and would like to join efforts to strengthen policy coordination of vocational education, so as to facilitate the sustainable development of vocational education, thus to provide continuous supply of talents for the common development of all sides.

Vice Minister of Education and Sports of Lao PDR Kongsy Sengmany emphasized that Lao Government attaches great importance to the facilitating role of vocational education in the economic and social development, and increased investment in vocational education in recent years. The development of ASEAN countries is not at the same level, and the vocational education popularity rates in some countries are still very low. ASEAN countries should strengthen the exchange and cooperation in vocational education with China, to promote much wider and higher level of vocational education, and to realize the common development of talents cultivation.

The participants exchanged views on the topics of value and mission of vocational education in regional development and the opportunities and challenges of vocational education. All parties were of the view that ASEAN and China are at crucial stage of development in urgent need of skilled professionals, and vigorously developing vocational education and enhancing international cooperation in vocational education in line with the trend of the times and common interests of all parties, will ultimately lay a solid foundation of human resources for the long-term development of ASEAN-China relations.

?