A participant attending the Ambassadors’ Reception for the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Beijing tries out controlling a robot dog on May 25, 2026. Photo: Chu Daye/GT

Foreign emissaries and representatives of international organizations expressed high hopes for the 48th WorldSkills Competition, which will be held this September in Shanghai, saying that the platform could be a vital opportunity for countries to share experience and foster common development.

The remarks were made at the Ambassadors' Reception for the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Beijing on Monday.

Foreign emissaries from more than 60 countries and representatives of international organizations and business chambers attended the event.

Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping said at the event that skills are a language that transcends borders and China cordially invites all parties to witness the shining moment of skilled young people from around the world at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai. Wang said that some 1,400 participants from more than 70 countries and regions will attend this year's event, competing in 64 events.

Heavy rain poured outside the Beijing venue on Monday, but inside the Beijing International Hotel, the atmosphere was lively and energetic. Robot dance performances, costume making and joinery were on display on the sidelines of the event.

"Skills development, including cooperation in education, is a crucial area of global relations and collaboration between nations. Ultimately, this concerns the future of our youth and society as a whole," Tamas Hajba, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's senior advisor for China, told the Global Times on Monday.

Exchanging ideas and learning from each other is essential, given the rich experiences of various countries. Further development of skills cooperation is therefore worth considering, Hajba said.

"Every country has its own tradition in education and every country is trying to reform to make it even better. And I think what we can learn about is that we exchange our experiences," Stephan Grabherr, the Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in China, told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

Skills development is of great significance to the development of young people, Hu Ping, a teacher at the Beijing Industry and Trade Technician College and a former gold medalist at the event, told the Global Times on Monday at the event.

"As a young girl, my dream was either to become a fashion designer or a teacher. I became a teacher at my school after claiming top prize at the WorldSkills Competition, so both of my dreams are being realized via the event," Hu said.

This year's competition is scheduled to run from September 22 to 27 in Shanghai. Formerly known as the International Vocational Training Organization, WorldSkills is an international charity, which organizes national championships for vocational skills. Every two years, the organization hosts a competition, which attracts competitors from around the world.

According to a Xinhua News Agency report earlier this month, the event could potentially set a new record for the most events, participants, and participating countries and regions in the competition's history. Chinese participants will compete in all 64 events.

So far, the layout planning and technical standard alignment for 64 competition events have been completed, including seven new events such as rail vehicle technology, unmanned aerial vehicle systems, smart security technology, software testing, and digital interactive media design, according to Xinhua.