On September 5 and 6, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) formulated the action blueprint for China-Africa Cooperation in the next stage, adopted the Beijing Declaration on Jointly Building an All-weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era and the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), and issued the Joint Statement on Deepening China-Africa Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative. The vocational education cooperation in the policy document is deeply integrated into the key industries in the modernization journey of African countries. In the context of industry, China-Africa vocational education cooperation has great potential and broad prospects.

State leaders strongly promote China-Africa vocational education cooperation

First, the political direction of common progress, with a high level of strategic mutual trust to lead the bilateral relations forward. Second, the direction of win-win cooperation, improve the top-level design of bilateral cooperation, high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and promote cooperation in digital economy, artificial intelligence, new energy and other fields. Third, we need to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in human resources development, accelerate the development of vocational education model schools and vocational training centers, and provide more scholarships and training opportunities for South African youth.

We are willing to consolidate political mutual trust, firmly support each other, seek common development, deepen cooperation in agriculture, mineral processing, vocational training and other fields, and continue to help the DRC turn its resource advantage into a driving force for development.

China supports the development of Luban Workshops and Confucius Institutes in Madagascar and helps the Malagasy side train more modern and high-quality talents. We should strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges among the youth, culture and at the sub-national level to consolidate popular support for our friendship.

China is ready to work with Rwanda to implement the outcomes of the summit, strengthen cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture and satellite applications, and jointly run the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda and the Luban Workshop, so as to push for more outcomes in our high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. China appreciates Rwanda's positive role in maintaining peace and security in Africa and is willing to deepen cooperation with Rwanda in peacekeeping and other fields.

Huai Jinpeng met with some African ministers of education and pointed out that China is willing to strengthen practical cooperation in vocational education and other fields

From September 4 to 5, Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng met with ministers of Education of Zimbabwe, Angola, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau and other countries attending the China-Africa-UNESCO Dialogue on Education and Cultural Heritage Protection, exchanging in-depth views on promoting bilateral cooperation in education.

China is ready to strengthen practical cooperation in digital education, vocational education, teacher education, language teaching and other fields, and join hands to promote the modernization of education, promote the development of bilateral relations and benefit the Chinese and African people, especially the young generation.

The African Minister of Education sincerely thanked China for its help and support for Africa's educational development, highly appreciated China's adherence to the path of educational modernization suited to its own national conditions, and was willing to learn from China's experience in educational development, keep closer exchanges of institutions and personnel, strengthen educational cooperation in various fields and carry forward the traditional friendship between Africa and China.

02 Summit Policy Document Vocational Education Cooperation Plan in initiatives

Focac - Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027)

China and Africa are willing to work together to implement the Global Civilization Initiative, further expand exchanges and cooperation in education, science and technology, health, tourism, sports, think tanks, media and culture, strengthen cultural exchanges, promote people-to-people exchanges, and consolidate the social foundation for China-Africa friendship.

In the "China's Unilateral support for key initiatives in Africa in the next three years", it is mentioned that:

The African side is willing to work with China to strengthen the synergy of development strategies and jointly promote the implementation of relevant measures.

In the next three years, China is ready to work with Africa to implement the "Ten Partnership Actions for China-Africa Modernization", which will cover ten areas including mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and people's well-being, people-to-people exchanges, green development and security.

Partnership action on mutual learning among civilizations. China is willing to work with Africa to build dialogue partners for the Global Civilization Initiative and establish a platform for sharing experience on governance between China and Africa. China supports the establishment of a China-Africa development knowledge Network and 25 China-Africa research centers. Relying on the African Leadership Academy to train talents in governance, we will invite 1,000 people from non-political parties to China for exchanges.

Partners for Trade Prosperity Action. To grant zero-tariff treatment to 100% of the products of the least developed countries that have established diplomatic relations with China; Negotiate and sign framework agreements on economic Partnership for Common Development with interested African countries; We will strengthen cooperation in inspection, quarantine and standards, and expand access for African agricultural products to China. China will deepen China-Africa e-commerce cooperation, support African countries in setting up national pavilions in China's "Silk Road E-commerce" cooperation pilot zone, and hold "Cloud lecture halls" to train African e-commerce talents. China has implemented the China-Africa Quality Improvement Plan, set up a China-Africa standardization Cooperation and research center and a China-Africa digital trade trust verification platform, and carried out actions to improve China's and Africa's conformity assessment capabilities.

Industrial chain partnership action. We will support the development of local value chains, the manufacturing sector and the in-depth processing of key minerals in Africa, build growth circles for China-Africa industrial cooperation in five African regions, assist in the construction of 10 supporting facilities for industrial parks, and hold 100 training courses for industrial talents. We will strive to build a pilot zone for in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, set up a service fund for in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, and promote the integration of production and trade between Chinese and African enterprises and the interconnected development of industrial parks. China has implemented the African SME Empowerment Program, provided financing support for the development of African smes, held 50 matchmaking events, and trained 1,000 operation and management personnel. China will jointly build a China-Africa Digital Technology Cooperation Center and encourage Chinese enterprises to build 20 demonstration projects on digital infrastructure and digital transformation in Africa.

Partnership in Health Initiative. China has set up a China-Africa Hospital alliance, jointly build a number of China-Africa joint medical centers and traditional medicine centers with African countries, strengthen cooperation in traditional medicine and smart medicine, and implement the "minimally invasive medicine" program. China has deepened technical cooperation with Africa on public health, trained 100 professionals, supported the construction and operation of the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention and five sub-regional centers, sent 2,000 medical team members and public health experts to African countries, and carried out the "100 teams and 1,000 villages" free medical treatment campaign, and continued to provide assistance to Africa to meet the epidemic within its capacity. Implementation of 10 health facilities projects and 10 malaria eradication demonstration projects; We will encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in drug and vaccine production projects in Africa and expand local drug production capacity in Africa.

Partnership action to boost agriculture and benefit the people. China will support Africa in eliminating hunger and achieving food security and sustainable agricultural development, build a China-Africa agricultural modernization cooperation network, build or upgrade 10 agricultural technology demonstration centers, build no less than 100,000 mu of China's agricultural standardization overseas demonstration zones, and provide one billion yuan of emergency food aid to African countries. China will build a China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance, build 100 agricultural poverty reduction demonstration villages, send 500 agricultural experts to African countries, train 1,000 leaders in agricultural enrichment, and promote the construction and development of the China-Africa Mushroom Cooperation Center and the China-Africa Bamboo Center. We carried out the "100 enterprises and 1,000 Villages" campaign, and carried out 500 public welfare projects in areas such as maternal and child health, education and training, rural development, and clean drinking water. We will encourage Chinese enterprises in Africa to create no less than 1 million local jobs.

People-to-people Exchange Partnership Initiative. China has fully implemented the "Future Africa-Africa Vocational Education Cooperation Plan", jointly built engineering and technology colleges with African countries, and built or upgraded 10 "Luban Workshops" and 20 schools. 60,000 research and training opportunities will be provided to Africa, with a focus on the "African Women's Empowerment Program" and the "African Youth Program"; We will improve the mechanism and platform for China-Africa science and education cooperation, and set up a China-Africa regional cooperation center for digital education. China has carried out 10 people-to-people and cultural exchange programs, jointly promoted the China-Africa Cultural Silk Road Plan, invited 1,000 African cultural and tourism professionals to China for study and training, implemented the China-Africa Radio, Television and Audio-Visual Innovation Cooperation Plan, and designated 2026 as the China-Africa People-to-people and Cultural Exchange Year.

Partnership action for security. China is ready to work with Africa to establish a partnership for the implementation of the Global Security Initiative, build a demonstration zone for cooperation on the global Security Initiative, and carry out early cooperation on the global security Initiative. China has provided one billion RMB yuan of free military assistance to Africa to support the military building of African countries, trained 6,000 military personnel for Africa, invited 500 young African officers to visit China, conducted joint military exercises, training and patrols between Chinese and African forces, and carried out the "Operation to help Africa rid itself of Landmines". China will deepen exchanges and cooperation on Belt and Road security, train 1,000 police and law enforcement personnel for the African side, and jointly safeguard cooperation projects and personnel safety.

To promote the implementation of the Ten Partnership Actions, the Chinese government is ready to provide RMB 360 billion of financial support in the coming three years, including RMB 210 billion of credit lines and RMB 80 billion of various types of assistance, and encourage Chinese enterprises to invest no less than RMB 70 billion in Africa, providing strong support for China-Africa practical cooperation in various fields.

In the section on China and the African Union, it is mentioned that:

The two sides appreciated the new progress in African integration and spoke highly of the important achievements in the institutional reform of the AU. China congratulates the AU on joining the G20, and will continue to support the AU in participating in G20 cooperation and advancing the priorities of the AU under the G20 framework.

China will continue to support the African Union and African countries in implementing the African Infrastructure Development Plan (PIDA), and is ready to promote connectivity in Africa through market-based approaches, align priority projects of the second phase of the Plan, promote joint project planning, and further help the AU Development Agency - New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD) to strengthen capacity building. Hold special training on human resources.

In the section on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, it is mentioned that:

The two sides are ready to work together to implement the Global Civilization Initiative, further expand exchanges and cooperation in education, science and technology, health, tourism, sports, youth, women, think tanks, media and culture, strengthen cultural exchanges, promote people-to-people exchanges, and consolidate the social foundation for China-Africa friendship.

The two sides will strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of education and hold the China-Africa UNESCO Dialogue on Cooperation in Education and Cultural Heritage Protection.

In the section on accelerating agricultural modernization in Africa, it is mentioned that:

The two sides appreciate the launch of the first batch of China-Africa Modern agricultural Technology Demonstration and Training Joint Centers in Hainan, Sichuan, Shaanxi and Jiangsu, and will continue to play the role of these centers to strengthen agricultural technology sharing, achievement transformation and personnel training.

In the section on priority support to Africa's industrialization, energy and trade, it is mentioned that:

The African side will continue to promote policies to improve the business and investment environment in Africa and attract more foreign direct investment (FDI), including from China, to Africa, especially in the field of infrastructure. The two sides will explore suitable partnership models, including but not limited to build-operate-acquire, build-operate-transfer investment and public-private partnerships, to create better conditions for Africa's industrialization. The two sides will strengthen experience sharing and technology transfer, support the training of talents for industrialization in Africa, strengthen cooperation in education and vocational training, especially to help youth and women carry out capacity-building training, promote gender equality, and encourage youth and women to start their own businesses.

China will actively support African countries in improving their energy policies and upgrading the continent's power generation and transmission networks to make them more efficient and reliable. China will conduct vocational training for relevant African governments and major enterprises in this regard.

In supporting talent development and the empowerment of women and children in Africa, it is mentioned that:

China speaks highly of the AU's choice of "Education for Africans in the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Inclusive, lifelong, high-quality and Prudent Teaching in Africa" as the theme year 2024, and its support for Africa's education transformation, which it believes will contribute to the economic and social transformation of Africa and improve the well-being of its people. The two sides recognize that education cooperation is the key to the sustainable development of China-Africa cooperation, and are willing to promote the alignment of the China-Africa Talent Training Cooperation Plan and the African Union Theme Year of Education to contribute to Africa's sustainable development.

The African side spoke highly of China's implementation of vocational skills training in African countries such as "Luban Workshop", and thanked China for its support in materials and equipment, technical guidance, teachers, personnel training, and improving the scientific and technological accessibility of schools in rural areas. China will continue to implement the "Future Africa-Africa Vocational Education Cooperation Plan", build a high-level "Luban Workshop" with African countries, add more specialties, and carry out engineering and technology education.

The two sides will continue to support the high-quality development of Confucius Institutes in Africa. China is willing to sign international cooperation agreements on Chinese language education with the education departments of African countries to support the development of Chinese language education in Africa by jointly establishing Chinese language majors, training Chinese language teachers and carrying out digital teaching.

The two sides will support Chinese and African universities in implementing the "100 China-Africa Universities Cooperation Plan", work with UNESCO to carry out the "African Campus: China-Africa Cooperation to Strengthen Higher Education in Africa" project, support African professional researchers to study and visit China, and strengthen scientific research exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and African universities.

China will work with African countries to promote the establishment of a China-Africa Regional Cooperation Center for Digital Education, carry out digital training for teachers, curriculum sharing for students and cultural heritage education, and build "model rooms" for digital education, so as to promote the implementation of digital education in more African countries.

China is willing to set up a China-Africa cooperation program on teacher training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education to train and train STEM teachers for Africa in the future.

The two sides believe that talent is the primary resource, and the key to the development and revitalization of China and Africa is to turn the talent dividend into a driving force for the modernization of their own countries, so that development is for the people, by the people and the fruits of development are shared by the people. The African side appreciates China's provision of quality education to African countries through government scholarships and multilateral and bilateral training. China will continue to rely on the Chinese government scholarship program to train African talents for the modernization of governance capacity, economic and social development, efficiency enhancement of scientific and technological innovation, and improvement of people's well-being. China will support African countries in personnel training in agriculture, fisheries, space satellites, computers, medicine, public health, engineering, oil and gas technology, and support African students in science and technology, engineering and mathematics.

China will continue to provide training places for African countries, train African talents in the fields of digital, science and technology, satellite science, aviation, medicine, tax collection and management, cultural tourism and medicine, and encourage Chinese enterprises to create jobs in Africa. China will encourage universities and vocational colleges to link up with industries and provide practical training opportunities for African students while studying in China.

China will carry out "Chinese + vocational skills" education in Africa, and cooperate to build Chinese language workshops in qualified African countries to train multi-disciplinary talents with language, cultural and skilled skills for Africa.

China will support African countries in training medical professionals, help Africa raise the professional level of medical diagnosis and treatment, and provide training for African mining engineers and technicians.

The two sides will strengthen cooperation in the field of human resources and social security, and carry out mutual learning and experience sharing in promoting high-quality full employment, improving the lifelong vocational skills training system and expanding the coverage of social insurance.

China will continue to promote the implementation of the Excellence Training Program for young African agronomists and support the training of leaders in rural development in Africa.

On the basis of the "20+20 China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan", China will launch the "100 China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan". China is ready to speed up the implementation of the medical and health support plan in Africa, support the sustainable development of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDC), help African countries improve their medical systems and services, increase training of African health personnel, and carry out academic exchanges and technical cooperation in medical care, medical education and research.

China will implement the China-Africa cooperation plan on cultural and tourism training, continue to promote human resources training in Africa, increase experience exchange and information sharing in tourism development with Africa, and enhance the capacity of African countries to undertake tourism.

China will implement vocational training programs for African media, help African countries train high-level professionals in the fields of journalism, radio, television and tourism, and support Africa in enhancing its communication capacity in radio and television.

China will support the training of 1,000 African scientists and technicians in China, launch 30 joint laboratory projects, and welcome young African scientists and technicians to participate in the "International Youth Program" and the "Belt and Road" special cooperation plan on innovation and entrepreneurship. Through the "Belt and Road" and Science and Technology Training Course for Developing Countries (400 students) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China-Africa Partnership Research Institute Exchange Program and other platforms, African research institutions and universities are encouraged to join the Alliance of international scientific organizations under the Belt and Road Initiative, and 300 graduate students and 30 professional talents will be trained for Africa through alliance scholarships and talent programs.

China will support Africa in training a group of young medical professionals who can independently carry out high-end operations such as neurosurgery and heart surgery, and carry out training of medical professionals in professional skills such as medical technology and medical workers.

The two sides will strengthen mutual learning and experience sharing in the digital field, encourage research institutions, think tanks and universities of the two sides to strengthen cooperation, build a cooperation platform for capacity building, and jointly train 1,000 digital talents.

China will support African countries in enhancing their tax collection and administration capacity through technical assistance and personnel training, and provide no less than 100 offline training opportunities every year under the framework of the Belt and Road tax collection and administration cooperation mechanism.

The two sides will strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of gender equality and women's empowerment, support China-Africa high-level women's dialogue and symposia, host a successful China-Africa Women's Forum, provide small amount of material assistance to women, conduct capacity-building training for African women, and jointly promote the all-round development of women. The two sides will launch financial, training and mentoring programs specifically for women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, ensure women's participation in decision-making processes in industries and supply chains, recognize women's contributions, and promote women's voices. The two sides will also develop youth education, skills training and entrepreneurship courses to provide young people with the knowledge and competencies they need to succeed in various industries, support youth-led innovation centers, incubators and startup accelerators, and promote innovative solutions to local and global challenges. China will carry out special training programs for women and young people and launch the Education and Empowerment Program for African Women Entrepreneurs.

The African side welcomes China's implementation of the African Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Plan and is willing to support China in implementing the second African Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Plan, which will promote the employment and entrepreneurship of African youth and facilitate the incubation of African venture capital projects through online and offline training.

China will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Africa in the field of persons with disabilities, and jointly carry out cooperation projects in rehabilitation, sports, education and employment. In the relevant youth and women training programs, actively consider the inclusion of young people and women with disabilities as beneficiaries and training targets to promote the sustainable and inclusive development of persons with disabilities.

In strengthening cooperation in the field of sustainable development, it was mentioned that:

China will support Africa in drawing up comprehensive plans for water resources and river basins and improving water infrastructure. China is ready to carry out technical exchanges, personnel training and project cooperation with Africa in such areas as water resources allocation, flood and drought disaster prevention, rural water supply, water-saving irrigation, water ecological restoration, utilization of unconventional water sources and development of small hydropower.

The two sides spoke highly of the important role played by the China-Africa Geoscience Cooperation Center in technology application, information sharing and green mining, and will jointly carry out practical cooperation in geoscience research, geological disaster management, mineral exploitation and personnel training, so as to contribute to Africa's sustainable economic, social and environmental development.

In the context of social and people-to-people cooperation and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is mentioned that:

China will promote the common development of Chinese and African broadcasting and audio-visual industries through program exchanges, co-production, technical cooperation, mutual visits and personnel training. China will support the construction of an African media center, cooperate with Africa to launch an African children's channel, carry out film and television co-production projects, and support the upgrading of audio-visual equipment, training of media personnel, and transmission and protection of African historical images and materials.

China will build a media communication and cultural exchange platform in Africa to facilitate the integrated development of African media. We will continue to implement the project of the China-Africa Press Exchange Center, and hold seminars and visiting courses for African media professionals.

China encourages African media to join the "Belt and Road" press Cooperation Alliance, supports capacity building of African radio and television media, encourages exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and African new media and we media practitioners, and supports China-Africa "Big V" cooperation to create more excellent works.

The two sides will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the film field, hold workshops for young African filmmakers, support each other in holding international film festivals, and promote more Chinese and African films to enter each other's market.

China-africa Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative

On September 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the Joint Statement between China and Africa on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative.

The parties firmly believe that China-Africa cooperation is a model of a new type of South-South cooperation. Agreeing to work for closer synergy between the global development Initiative and the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries, and accelerate the implementation of the ten partnership actions for China-Africa Modernization, as well as the Initiative on Supporting Africa's Industrialization, China's Plan for Africa's Agricultural Modernization, and the China-Africa Personnel Training Cooperation Plan, We will support the implementation of Africa-wide programs such as the Plan for Accelerated Industrialization in Africa, the Plan for Comprehensive Agricultural Development in Africa, and the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Africa.

The parties agreed to strengthen policy dialogue, experience sharing, capacity building and practical cooperation, focusing on poverty reduction, food security, health care, industrialization, climate change and green development, connectivity in the digital age, and human resources development. China is ready to provide more exchange, training and scholarship opportunities in China to empower African youth for sustainable development.

Beijing Declaration on Building a Global China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era

In the part of the Global Development Initiative to build a strategic framework for joint Action on China-Africa Development, it proposes:

We will work together to implement the important consensus reached at the high-level Meeting on "Industrialization, Agricultural Modernization and Green Development: The Road to Modernization". The African side appreciates China's initiatives such as the "Initiative to Support Africa's Industrialization", "China's Plan to Help Africa's Agricultural Modernization" and "China-Africa Personnel Training Cooperation Plan" released at the 2023 China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue, believing that they meet Africa's priority needs and are conducive to Africa's integration and development.

In the context of the Global Civilization Initiative to inject vitality into China-Africa joint action to deepen cultural and civilizational dialogue, he mentioned:

China and Africa encourage lifelong learning and will continue to strengthen cooperation in capacity building such as technology transfer, education and training, so as to jointly train talents of all kinds for the modernization of governance, economic and social development, efficiency enhancement of scientific and technological innovation, and improvement of people's well-being. We will further expand exchanges and cooperation in education, science and technology, health, tourism, sports, youth, women, think tanks, media and culture to cement the social foundation for China-Africa friendship. China supports the holding of the Youth Olympic Games in 2026 in Dakar. China and Africa will strengthen personnel exchanges in science and technology, education, economy, trade, culture, tourism and other fields.

03 China-Africa vocational education cooperation covers a wide range of fields, enjoys huge potential and broad prospects ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Under the guidance of the Beijing Declaration on Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in a New Era, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation - Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) and the Joint Statement on Deepening China-Africa Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative, China-Africa relations have reached a new historical starting point. 

The African continent, rich in natural and human resources, is at a critical stage of industrialization and modernization. China has mature technology and experience in manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, media, medical care, digital, science and technology, satellite science, aviation, medicine, tax collection and administration, cultural tourism and other fields. Through technical assistance, personnel training, academic exchanges, overseas education, distance education, enterprise cooperation, policy dialogue, experience sharing, scholarships and study abroad programs, As well as joint research and development, strengthening China-Africa vocational education cooperation, helping Africa to train urgently needed technical skills, and promoting local industrial upgrading and economic development are the key directions of China-Africa vocational education cooperation in the future.

With the arrival of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital skills have become a key demand in the global job market. Digital education courses and online learning platforms adapted to Africa's national conditions will more effectively promote the comprehensive cooperation between China and Africa in vocational education, and technological means such as artificial intelligence and big data will also provide more accurate and personalized teaching services for African vocational education.

China-africa vocational education cooperation has great potential and broad prospects in the context of industry. By closely combining Africa's industrial development needs, innovating cooperation models and focusing on digital transformation and people-to-people exchanges, China-Africa vocational education cooperation will provide strong talent and intellectual support for building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Document source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs