On 22 June 2018, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) paid a working visit to Wenzhou Vocational & Technical College (WZVTC) and exchanged views with Mr. Wang Jinggao, Party Secretary of WZVTC on strengthening ASEAN-China exchanges and cooperation on vocational education. Mr. Zhou Huaizhong, Deputy Director of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government, Mr. He Zhong, Vice President of WZVTC, Ms. Pan Lingzhen, Director of Foreign Affairs Office of WZVTC, Ms. Zhu Zhiyan, Yalong Intelligent Equipment Group Co., Ltd. as well as Mr. Zhang Xuehai, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations and Mr. Zhang Fengyu, Education Officer of Education, Culture, and Tourism Division of ACC participated in the meeting.

Secretary Wang Jinggao extended his welcome to Secretary-General Yang Xiuping and the delegation for visiting Wenzhou Vocational & Technical College and briefed on the main status of WZVTC as well as its latest development in international exchanges and cooperation. He said that WZVTC was established in 1999 upon the approval of the Ministry of Education through the amalgamation of Wenzhou Business School, Wenzhou School of Economics, Wenzhou Machinery Industrial School and Wenzhou Spare-time Technology University.?WZVTC has nine departments such as Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and 35 majors, which are mainly engineering-related majors, while design-related majors and majors in economics and management are also developed in a coordinated manner. WZVTC has been encouraging connectivity between industry, learning, research and entrepreneurship, took the lead nationwide in proposing the idea of cultivating new technology application specialists and has been redoubling its efforts in driving reform in education and teaching led by innovation and entrepreneurship. The college has developed the teaching concept of setting up majors in line with the pillar industries in the region, providing services platforms to address the difficulties facing the enterprises in the region, and producing new technology application specialists to meet the demand of the region. Nearly 70% graduates choose to stay in Wenzhou for employment, which provides strong backup to the industrial transformation and upgrading of Wenzhou.

Secretary Wang Jinggao commented that WZVTC attaches great importance to international exchanges and cooperation and has actively pooled quality resources of education from overseas. The collaborative education programme with British Columbia Institute of Technology of Canada has twice been evaluated as exemplary programme in Zhejiang province. WZVTC has been strenuously pushing forward the internationalization strategy and gave full play to the role of overseas citizens of Wenzhou. WZVTC has worked to establish overseas education institutes like the Design Workshop and attracted talents outside China to make itself the bridgehead to serve Wenzhou fellow citizens around the world. WZVTC actively took part in the initiation of ASEAN-China Consortium for TVET Cooperation, established the Yalong International Intelligence Manufacturing School and participated in the jointly-run Cambodia-Wenzhou Vocational & Technical College-Yalong Silk Road College, contributing to the export of quality production capacity of the region and expanding TVET cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road. All these have achieved positive results. He extended his appreciation to ACC’s support and assistance in expanding exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN education institutes. He expected to strengthen links with ACC, actively participate in activities hosted by ACC and elevate the collaboration with ASEAN countries to a higher level.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping congratulated WZVTC on its outstanding achievements in cultivating talents and serving local economic and social development, highly commended the tremendous amount of work by WZVTC in boosting ASEAN-China TVET exchanges and cooperation and briefed on the development of ASEAN-China relations and the fruitful results of practical cooperation by both sides. She pointed out that vocational education is of great significance to boosting economic and social development. Both China and ASEAN countries attach great importance to developing vocational education and training, vigorously cultivating application-oriented personnel with specialized skills and actively promoting international exchanges and cooperation in relative fields. Today ASEAN-China relations are at a key stage of upgrading and fresh start. This year is the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership and the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation. It is hoped that WZVTC will seize the hard-won opportunity, bring into full play its advantages and strong points, closely tailor to the demands of personnel cultivation of ASEAN countries, and further tap cooperation potential with ASEAN countries, thus making bigger contributions in deepening ASEAN-China vocational education cooperation.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping and the delegation also observed the public service platforms and research centres for technology innovation and obtained a deeper understanding of WZVTC’s model of education and teaching as well as its achievements in innovation and entrepreneurship.