BMMalaysia has put a new idea for global skills cooperation on the table, and China has signalled its support. During a five-day working visit to China from 12 to 16 October 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who chairs Malaysia’s National TVET Council, proposed a World TVET Council at the 2026 World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference (WVTEDC) in Tianjin. Zahid said China has agreed in principle.
According to reports by Malay Mail and Bernama, the council would be a global platform for cooperation on skills development, technology and workforce training. China would host it permanently and serve as its secretariat. Zahid said the in-principle agreement was conveyed when he met Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang and Education Minister Huai Jinpeng on 15 October. The conference drew participants from more than 100 countries, including 48 ministers. No formal agreement on the council has been signed yet.
Malaysia arrived in Tianjin with a track record to show. In his keynote, Zahid said TVET participation in Malaysia rose by more than 33 per cent between 2020 and 2025, nearly 57 per cent of school leavers who continued their studies chose TVET in 2025, and graduate employability reached almost 96 per cent. He also cited 5,125 training opportunities secured for Malaysians in China in 2024, with 2,500 more in 2026, and 208 Malaysians who completed railway training in China this year in connection with the East Coast Rail Link.
The Malaysia-China Institute in Bagan Datuk is meant to anchor the next stage. It is expected to serve up to 2,000 students across 18 priority fields, supported by Malaysia-China Industry-Education Alliance initiatives worth about 49 million yuan, including 1,000 scholarships and 2,000 training opportunities. Zahid said the next phase will focus on high-end TVET in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and semiconductors, with the aim of turning “greater participation into greater capability”. He also called on Chinese companies operating in Malaysia to offer apprenticeships, specialised certification and career opportunities, and Malaysia proposed a framework for mutual recognition of qualifications.
For anyone following TVET Malaysia China cooperation, this is a notable shift from bilateral projects toward shared international architecture. If the council materialises, Malaysian institutions could gain a stronger voice in setting standards, while Malaysia-China TVET cooperation, including China’s Luban Workshop centres, the Malaysia-China Institute and local colleges, may become a model for other ASEAN countries.
At the Malaysia-China Culture and Education Association (MCCEA), we see this as part of a wider picture in which Malaysia-China relations are built not only on trade and investment but on people, skills and shared learning. Malaysia-China education cooperation works best when it reaches students, trainers and employers, and when Malaysia-China cultural exchange helps those communities understand one another. We will follow how the World TVET Council proposal develops.
Sources: Malay Mail, “China agrees in principle to Malaysia’s proposal for world TVET council, says Zahid” (16 October 2026); Malay Mail, “DPM Zahid strengthens Malaysia-China ties, advances global TVET cooperation after five-day visit” (17 October 2026); Bernama, “Malaysia-China Cooperation To Prepare Talent For Higher-value Jobs, Says Ahmad Zahid” (16 October 2026).
中文摘要
马来西亚副首相阿末扎希于10月12日至16日访问中国,并在天津举行的2026世界职业技术教育发展大会上提出成立“世界技职教育理事会”。扎希表示,中方已原则上同意由中国长期承办并担任秘书处。这项倡议有望深化马中技职教育合作,并连接马来西亚中国学院、鲁班工坊等平台,为两国青年创造更多技能培训与就业机会。这一进展也体现了马中教育与马中文化交流对巩固马中关系的重要意义,与马中文化教育协会的使命相契合。
About MCCEA: Malaysia-China Culture and Education Association (MCCEA), Registration No. PPM-034-10-08072025, is dedicated to advancing cooperation between Malaysia and China in culture, education and TVET, with ASEAN and the international community in view. Website: www.mccea.org.my
