Tianjin Municipality, north China - Oct 16, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Venue for World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference 2026
2. Various of event in progress; Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang delivering speech; attendees
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister:
"I have brought a proposal in my speech that China would establish a world TVET (technical and vocational education and training) council, so that all the member countries would be getting the benefit from this council."
4. Various of event in progress, attendees
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Fernando Alexandre, Portuguese Minister of Education, Science and Innovation (partially overlaid with shot 6):
"We benefit a lot if we learn from each other. With all the changes that we are facing in many dimensions, it is also very challenging for the education systems to adapt and to find effective ways for students to learn."
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6. Various of Fernando Alexandre delivering speech
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7. Various of event in progress; guest on stage, attendees

Government officials, experts and educators from more than 100 countries and regions have gathered in north China's Tianjin Municipality for the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference 2026 to explore how countries can work together to prepare skilled workers for the future as technology transforms industries and reshapes the job market.

The three-day event is co-hosted by China's Ministry of Education, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and the Tianjin municipal government. It is dedicated to charting the future of vocational and technical education, with this year's edition centered on embracing change and forging common standards in the field.

At the event's opening ceremony on Friday, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang stressed the importance of vocational education in boosting productivity and put forward four suggestions to strengthen international cooperation and advance its development.

He called on all parties to build common standards to guide open cooperation, drive transformation and upgrading through innovation and reform, promote people's all-round development through fairness and inclusiveness, and strengthen ties of friendship through mutual learning and cooperation.

Beyond the Chinese voices, many of the international ministerial-level attendees took the floor to advocate closer people-to-people exchange and the sharing of knowledge and best practices.

"I have brought a proposal in my speech that China would establish a world TVET (technical and vocational education and training) council, so that all the member countries would be getting the benefit from this council," said Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"We benefit a lot if we learn from each other. With all the changes that we are facing in many dimensions, it is also very challenging for the education systems to adapt and to find effective ways for students to learn," said Fernando Alexandre, Portuguese Minister of Education, Science and Innovation.