China will subsidize vocational training for more than 10 million people this year and build a skills-training system that runs through people's entire careers, an official said Saturday.
Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, outlined the country's vocational training plan at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress.
"At present, technological changes are advancing at an unprecedented pace, and skill renewal is accelerating. Learning has become an inevitable requirement of this era. We will build a lifelong vocational skills training system that covers the entire career process, tailored to the individualized needs of workers at different stages, striving to create a condition where everyone can study anywhere and anytime. We will carry out preparatory training and general skills training for newly emerging labor forces, apprenticeship training and on-the-job training for enterprise employees, and new skills training and entrepreneurship training for employees in job transfers," Wang said.
"This year, we will carry out large-scale vocational skills improvement training in depth, providing subsidized training for over 10 million people. It will focus on organizing specialized training for the low-altitude economy, new energy vehicles, artificial intelligence technology, and health care services, to better align with industries and serve employment," the minister said.
The 48th WorldSkills Competition is scheduled to be held in Shanghai from September 22 to 27 this year.
Noting that the WorldSkills Competition is the world's largest and most influential skills event, the minister said it has set the direction and trend for vocational skills development and played a significant role in promoting economic growth, technological progress, and talent cultivation since its inception in 1950.
"We will earnestly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping to ‘present a WorldSkills Competition that is innovative and widely influential to the world’. With the theme of ‘Skills Change the World and Illuminate the Future’, we will present a splendid and successful event with high standards and quality. At the same time, taking the opportunity of holding the competition, we will pay more attention to investing in people and inspire more young people to illuminate their bright future with their skills," Wang said.
China to subsidize vocational training for over 10 million people in 2026
"China Haul" -- a trend of foreign tourists opening their suitcases on social media to show off the Chinese goods they bought during trips to China -- has recently gone viral overseas.
Some joke that "China Haul" sounds like "China good" in Chinese, a fitting description for leisure trips to the country, since tourists often arrive with empty suitcases and leave with them fully stuffed, proving that made-in-China products are indeed good.
Opening a suitcase to show off purchases made in China is one of the most popular ways German tourists share their trips. Alexander Haase has traveled to Beijing four times over the past year, and buying Chinese tech products has been a must every time. His suitcase reads like a continuously updated list of Chinese tech products.
"In the past 12 months alone, I've been to China four times. What I bought are mostly high-tech products. For example, I bought a Huawei laptop, and AI glasses. In short, all the latest high-tech products," said Haase.
Haase's shopping list directly reflects the popularity of Chinese tech products among German tourists. Having visited China many times over more than two decades, he has witnessed not only the iteration of products but also the overall upgrading of the urban environment and digital infrastructure.
For him, buying tech products in China is no longer a side activity but an indispensable part of the trip. This change is also appearing among more German tourists.
German travel industry insiders have also observed that China's appeal to young people has moved beyond traditional sightseeing of historic sites; experiencing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and robots up close is becoming a new reason to visit China.
"The development of China's high and new technologies is a very important element attracting young people from abroad. For example, robots spark their greater interest in learning more about China. Thanks to the visa-free policy, young German tour groups can travel to China at any time, just as they please," said Tang Huiying, general manager of a German youth travel agency.
According to German travel industry insiders, German tourists visiting China in 2026 are expected to reach between 500,000 to 600,000. For frequent travelers like Wolfgang Bednarek, who has visited China many times, China's charm is not one-dimensional but a comprehensive appeal formed by the combination of multiple experiences.
"I have traveled all over the world, but I have to say that in my heart, China is the most impressive country. China not only has a unique culture and diverse geographical features, but the people there are also a highlight -- an absolute highlight," said Bednarek.
German tourists embrace Chinese high-tech goods, fueling "China Haul" trend online
