China and Malaysia have launched a vocational education alliance aimed at linking skills training more closely with industrial development, as the two countries deepen cooperation on major infrastructure and manufacturing projects.

The China-Malaysia Technical and Vocational Education and Training Industry-Education Alliance was established on Dec 19 in Liuzhou, in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. It brings together 33 institutions from both countries, including vocational colleges, universities, enterprises, industry bodies and research institutes.

The alliance is designed to align vocational education with the needs of industry, particularly in sectors such as rail transport, new energy vehicles, intelligent manufacturing and artificial intelligence.

The alliance's Chinese secretariat is based at Liuzhou Railway Vocational Technical College, which has been closely involved in training technical staff for Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link, a flagship infrastructure project built with Chinese participation, according to Wang Hanqiang, Party secretary of the college.

Wang said the institution has developed a replicable model for exporting vocational education, providing both skilled personnel and technical support for the East Coast Rail Link.

The railway, stretching more than 600 kilometers, is expected to open in 2027 and is intended to boost connectivity and economic development along Malaysia's east coast.

The alliance will serve as a bridge between vocational institutions in the two countries, according to Abdul Razak Bin Sabtu, a senior official at the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education of Malaysia's Ministry of Higher Education.

He said it would connect Malaysian polytechnics and community colleges with their Chinese counterparts to train "future-ready" workers in advanced manufacturing, automotive engineering, smart logistics, digital technologies and green industries.

"Through joint curriculum development, shared competency standards, industry-recognized certifications, and staff and student mobility, this alliance has the potential to become a model for ASEAN-China TVET cooperation," he added.

Local authorities in Liuzhou have pledged support for the initiative. Hu Lan, the city's deputy mayor, said the government would work to create a stable and convenient environment for international cooperation. Four joint projects were announced at the launch, covering areas including urban rail transit, new energy vehicles, AI and modern agriculture.

Liuzhou Railway Vocational Technical College has already integrated Chinese railway technical standards into the East Coast Rail Link project, providing training and operational support. Currently, 208 Malaysian students are enrolled at the college in railway-related disciplines, and are expected to take part in testing and commissioning work on the railway after graduation, according to the college.

Over the past five years, the college has trained 247 international students from Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries, including Thailand, Laos and Malaysia, and has provided 25,307 person-days of specialized technical training for Chinese-funded enterprises overseas.