The 48th WorldSkills Competition, scheduled for September 22-27 in Shanghai, will feature a record 64 competition events, exceeding 60 for the first time, according to a press conference of the State Council Information Office on Friday.
The WorldSkills Competition is a premier biennial international event that brings together young professionals from all over the world to compete in various vocational and technical skills.
According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, this year's competition will add seven new events, including drone systems, digital interactive media design, rail vehicle technology.
The event is expected to draw over 1,400 competitors and 6,000 accredited personnel from more than 70 countries and regions, which is set to achieve four new records, the highest number of competition events, the most newly added events, the largest number of participating countries and regions, and the greatest number of competitors in the history of the WorldSkills Competition.
"The seven new competition events are aligned with key sectors, such as the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, urban operations and public services. It can be said that as these industries evolve, new professions emerge. And these professions are then introduced into the WorldSkills Competition where everyone is able to exchange expertise so as to raise the technical standards of the very profession," Wu Liduo, director of the Department of Professional Capacity Building under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said at the press conference.
During the competition period, organizers will simultaneously hold the WorldSkills Conference, WorldSkills Expo, and the "one province, one skill" demonstration performance. Additional activities include "WorldSkills in schools, enterprises, and communities" to provide the public with hands-on experience.
At the press conference, officials also unveiled the official medal design and mascot for the 48th WorldSkills Competition.
48th WorldSkills Competition to feature record 64 events
From textiles and tea to home decor and handicrafts, exhibitors from across South Asia and beyond are showcasing their products at the 10th China-South Asia Expo, which opened on Thursday in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
The expo, a major platform for economic and trade exchanges between China and South Asian countries, is bringing together businesses, government officials and investors from across the region. This year, Bangladesh is serving as the Theme Country.
"For this exposition, they (our exhibitors) can introduce their goods to the Chinese market that will open up for future expansion. In the same way, we want to convey this message to the Chinese investors -- Bangladesh is a very mature investment destination at the moment," said Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Bangladesh minister of commerce, industries, textiles, and jute.
The expo comes amid expanding economic ties between China and South Asia. Official figures show trade between China and South Asian countries exceeded 200 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, up 10.7 percent year on year. And that strong momentum has continued this year, as growing economic links create new opportunities across the region.
"A total of 87,000 artisans are working with us. And many of our products are handmade, like leather bags, like home decor. And we definitely expect we will get attention from the visitors, and we'll get very good feedback," said Mohammad Minhaz Uddin, a Bangladeshi exhibitor.
"This is a very good platform. Here you can find new buyers, and you make good friends, you make good connections," said Orangzaib Khan, a Pakistani exhibitor.
Beyond the country pavilions, the expo also features more than 10 themed exhibition halls covering areas such as advanced manufacturing, green development, modern agriculture and regional cooperation.
One of the highlights is the newly established Trade in Services Pavilion, which showcases new business models, emerging technologies and the latest achievements in trade in services, reflecting China's efforts to expand high-quality opening-up and deepen cooperation with regional partners.
"We are now entering the era of AI and robotics. Yunnan is home to many border ports, especially those connecting with Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. We hope to actively introduce advanced robotics and AI technologies to make customs clearance smarter and more efficient," said Tian Jinyu, a representative of Maxvision Technology.
10th China-South Asia Expo opens amid growing regional trade
