The convening of the 2024 World Conference on the Development of Vocational and Technical Education is China's first diplomatic event in the field of education after this year's National Education Conference. It is an important stage for implementing the spirit of the National Education Conference and enhancing the international influence of vocational education in China. The theme of this World Conference on the Development of Vocational and Technical Education, 'Innovation Empowers Future Skills and Shapes Life', is clear and profound. This theme highlights the significant importance of skills for a person's life and endows vocational education innovation with a significant role in empowering the future. This is a new positioning of the functional role of vocational education in today's society.

China has established the world's largest vocational education system. Vocational education supports half of China's high school education and higher education respectively, and vocational colleges have become the main battlefield for cultivating skilled craftsmen, skilled workers, and high skilled talents in the country.

Innovation deeply empowers future vocational education. In the process of transforming and upgrading from "Made in China" to "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" and "Created in China", high skilled talents play a key role in the formation and development of new quality productivity, and innovation ability is a necessary core literacy for future high skilled talents, as well as a key variable affecting the quality of high skilled talent training. Currently, with the rapid development of high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, quantum information, and metaverse, what is needed is no longer traditional manual or mechanical operational skills; Faced with the new demands of the development of new quality productivity, the talent training objectives of vocational education should no longer be limited to traditional technical and skilled talents, but should focus on cultivating high-quality innovative and high skilled talents that match the requirements of national development and regional economic and social development, thus embarking on a new journey to serve the development of new quality productivity.

A unique skill shapes a brilliant life. In recent years, the holding of various skill competitions at all levels has provided a broad stage for skilled talents to showcase their talents. In the current severe employment situation, the belief that "one skill is the foundation of one's existence" has gained widespread social consensus. Not only that, through a series of commendations, awards, and publicity reports for high skilled talents, great country craftsmen, etc., a social trend of "glorious labor, precious skills, and great creation" has been created in the whole society, making more people deeply realize that traditional "blue collar workers" can also become high-level talents and win wonderful lives. The spirit of model workers, the spirit of labor, and the spirit of craftsmanship are increasingly becoming the steadfast spiritual coordinates for vocational college students.

Looking towards the future, China's vocational education is focusing on building a vocational education system that integrates vocational education with general education and industry education. Efforts will be made to consolidate the "one body" and strengthen the "two wings", comprehensively promote the design of the "333" project, implement the "101 Plan" for vocational education, strengthen the new infrastructure of "hardware", and enhance the training and supply capacity of high skilled talents through digitization.

Facing the world, China's vocational education is actively contributing wisdom, experience, and support. The successful convening of the 2024 World Conference on the Development of Vocational and Technical Education has widely gathered wisdom and effectively consolidated consensus. Chinese vocational colleges at all levels have strengthened international exchanges and cooperation to jointly promote the high-quality development of global vocational education: promoting the high-quality development of vocational colleges themselves and building a vocational education system that deeply integrates industry and education; Actively participate in the development and formulation of vocational education standards, and support the establishment of bilateral and multilateral degree recognition mechanisms worldwide; Enhance China's voice and influence in global vocational education cooperation, and actively participate in global vocational education governance.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China's education has actively sought higher quality development in opening up to the outside world, achieving significant results and becoming an important engine for promoting the construction of an education powerhouse. International cooperation in vocational education is an important component of international cooperation in education. The Ministry of Education actively plans the overall layout of international cooperation in vocational education, and carries out key vocational education cooperation projects such as the "China ASEAN Vocational Education Federation" and the "Future Africa Vocational Education Cooperation" plan with countries and regions in Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, etc. The regional vocational education cooperation mechanism is constantly improving. Multiple vocational colleges have established educational institutions and projects overseas, giving rise to a number of overseas educational brands such as Luban Workshop. For the international vocational education community, this World Conference on the Development of Vocational and Technical Education is a great opportunity to get in touch with and understand China's vocational education, and to deepen comprehensive cooperation with vocational colleges at all levels in China. We look forward to all parties involved strengthening mutual communication, trust, and learning, expanding the path of cooperation, and consolidating the bridge of friendship.

The vocational education front should take this World Conference on the Development of Vocational and Technical Education as an opportunity to continuously enhance the adaptability and attractiveness of vocational education, adhere to the combination with industry, local and government policies, social regional structure, and personal lifelong learning, achieve high level of school running quality, high quality of industry school cooperation, and high effectiveness of scientific education, and write a new chapter of vocational education for promoting Chinese path to modernization.