new economy

　　

ASEAN Headline News: From August 13th to 15th, the 2025 ASEAN Countries' "Chinese Language + Vocational Skills" Education Development Seminar was held at the Cambodia University of Applied Sciences in the capital city of Phnom Penh. The seminar was jointly organized by the China Education and Foreign Language Exchange Center of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia, and the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training of Cambodia, and was jointly hosted by Nanjing Institute of Vocational Technology, Cambodia Applied Science University, and the Cambodia Chinese Association. The theme of the seminar was "Standard Construction and Talent Joint Cultivation".

Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hangchuon Naron, Cambodia's Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training Chea Kosal, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Jiang Nan, and the Director of the China Education and Foreign Language Exchange Center of the Ministry of Education Yu Yunfeng attended the event and delivered speeches. Pung Kheav Se, the President of the Cambodia Chinese Association, delivered a welcome speech. Secretary-General of Nanjing Institute of Vocational Technology Xie Yonghua delivered a video speech. Tingkham Sulintha, the Deputy Director of the Vocational Education and Training Department of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos, attended the event and participated in the thematic discussion.

Hangchuon Naron stated that through promoting cooperation in technology and vocational education, students from ASEAN countries not only have the opportunity to learn and enhance their Chinese language skills, but also can gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and master specific technical skills required in the global labor market. Cambodia has achieved many tangible results from its "Chinese Language + Vocational Skills" education cooperation with China. The cultural and youth exchange programs have enabled Cambodian students to learn about China's diverse cultures and participate in on-site research and study in China, gaining first-hand practical experience in the fields of technical and vocational education. The Cambodia University of Applied Sciences focuses on the cultivation of high-quality talents in science and technology, and innovatively launched a "Chinese Language + Vocational Skills" specialized higher education program in Cambodia, training students with both Chinese application skills and industry practical skills. The Teacher Capacity Enhancement Program has effectively enhanced the teaching capabilities of Cambodian teachers, promoted students' learning outcomes, and improved the overall quality of vocational education training in Cambodia. In the future, it is expected that the Cambodian and Chinese governments, enterprises, and universities will deepen collaboration, jointly build regional education standards and skill certification systems, deepen industry-education integration, develop courses that meet employment needs, and strengthen teacher exchanges and capacity building.

Chea Kosal stated that technical and vocational education training (TVET) is an important support for enhancing Cambodia's labor skills, expanding employment opportunities, and strengthening national competitiveness. Over the past year, the cooperation in vocational education between Cambodia and China has achieved remarkable results: With the support of the Chinese government, cooperation platforms have been established in multiple locations, and many Chinese enterprises have signed cooperation agreements with Cambodian institutions, promoting the coordinated development of schools and enterprises; 260 technical teachers, civil servants, and nearly 100 students have received training in China; both sides have jointly developed 449 vocational skills standards, trained 200 local teachers, and served 500 workers in improving their skills. Combining Chinese language with technical skills will further enhance the competitiveness of Cambodia's labor force, expand the cooperation space between Cambodia and ASEAN and Chinese-funded enterprises, and help the country attract investment, enhance productivity, and integrate into the global industrial chain. In the future, the Cambodian side will continue to expand training in key areas, encourage Chinese-funded enterprises to provide internship positions, deepen inter-agency cooperation, promote digital transformation in education and teacher capacity building, and work together with the Chinese side and international partners to promote high-quality development of vocational education.

Jiang Nan pointed out that in recent years, the cooperation in vocational education between China and Cambodia has deepened continuously and yielded numerous achievements, becoming one of the shining aspects in the humanistic field within the "Diamond Hexagon" cooperation framework. With the successive operation of flagship projects such as Sihanoukville Economic Special Zone, Kingham Expressway, and Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, Cambodia's economic and social development has entered a fast lane, and the demand for local talents who are proficient in both Chinese and possess professional skills has experienced a "bursting" growth. This has presented an unprecedented opportunity for the innovative model of "Chinese + vocational skills". Looking at ASEAN, vocational education cooperation with China is also in the early stages of development. The close economic relations between China and ASEAN countries provide a broad stage for vocational education cooperation. The successful practice of "Chinese + vocational skills" is now radiating from Cambodia to the broader ASEAN region, providing solid support for building a closer China-ASEAN community of shared future.

Yu Yunfeng stated that as a professional institution dedicated to supporting the implementation of Chinese language education in the international community, the Language and Culture Cooperation Center is committed to promoting language and cultural exchanges between China and other countries and providing high-quality services for Chinese learners worldwide. In response to the demand for the integrated development of "Chinese + vocational skills", in recent years, the Language and Culture Cooperation Center has jointly explored with universities and enterprises: First, to create practical platforms to cultivate local talents with both proficiency in Chinese and expertise in skills; second, to strengthen the training of dual-skilled teachers and develop vocational Chinese teaching resources to enhance educational capabilities; third, to release the "Chinese Vocational Skills Ability Level Standards" and build a digital resource library to support research and discussions, and consolidate educational foundations. Fourth, to carry out diversified exchange programs to promote mutual understanding and learning between Chinese and Cambodian youth. In the future, the Language and Culture Cooperation Center is willing to work with the governments, education sectors, and business communities of ASEAN countries, focusing on demand alignment, building a collaborative ecosystem, deepening digital empowerment, strengthening capacity building, enhancing cultural exchanges, and continuously improving the precision, coordination, innovation, professionalism, and long-term nature of cooperation.

In the keynote presentation session, Tingkham Sulintha, the Deputy Director of the Vocational Education and Training Department of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos, Vinh Bun Eang, the assistant of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia, Khens Sovath, the advisor of the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training of Cambodia, Tao Guangyao, the CEO of Huawei Technology Cambodia Co., Ltd., Wang Junwei, the Chairman of Datang Cambodia Hydropower Development Co., Ltd., and Xiao Haiping, the administrative director of the President's Office of BYD Co., Ltd., respectively, from different perspectives of the education department, enterprises, and schools, discussed the innovation and localization solutions for talent cultivation models.

At the exchange meeting, Han Chunanuo, Han Xingsan, and Yu Yunfeng jointly witnessed the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement for establishing the Cambodia New Energy Vehicle Talent Training Center between Cambodia University of Applied Sciences and BYD Automobile (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., and Elephant Automobile (Cambodia) Co., Ltd.

Before the exchange meeting, the participating guests visited the Chinese Culture Experience Hall of Cambodia University of Applied Sciences and personally experienced various Chinese traditional culture experience activities such as Chinese calligraphy, traditional face painting, paper-cutting, lacquer fan, Tai Chi, and traditional Chinese massage and moxibustion. Nearly 300 representatives from education departments, universities, and enterprises from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines attended the meeting.

After the exchange meeting, the participating guests visited Cambodia Power Grid Company and BYD Cambodia Company and exchanged and discussed with each other.