As one of the major activities in the seventh China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, the China-ASEAN Vocational Education Summit opened in Guiyang, capital city of Guizhou province, on September 2.

The summit, joined by education professionals in China and ASEAN countries, will discuss the current status and future development of vocational education during the week. "It shall first respect workers and their works and eliminate the bias on mechanics," said Yang Jin, director of the Central Institute for Vocational and Technical Education, during the summit on September 2.

Yang Jin, director of the Central Institute for Vocational and Technical Education, talks about vocational education development in China.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Yang suggested that in order to eliminate the bias on vocational education, the institute shall balance vocational education and general education.

"We are seeking methods to establish an academic degree system for vocational education and build an upward channel that includes vocational education, college education, undergraduate education and postgraduate education," said Liu Hongjie, director of the professional title grading department of the Ministry of Education.

"China shall strengthen the links between vocational education and general education, and develop continuing education through various measures."

Yang added: "Though vocational education has its focus on mechanical skills training, the cultivation of student soft power is very important. The education of social skills, communication skills, critical skills, creativity and language skills that vocational schools ignored in the past shall be focused on as well."

Soft power can help improve a student's employability.