Entering the campus of Ruili Vocational High School, the Burmese students wearing new uniforms are listening intently to the teacher explaining the professional courses of auto repair, listening attentively to the teacher explaining the various parts of the car and maintenance skills, and their eyes are full of the desire for knowledge. In the jade carving class, the international students surrounded the experienced seniors, carefully watching each step of the jade carving technology operation, learning the use of each tool, from time to time to praise.

"Ruili school is very good, the teachers love us more, the classmates are very easy to get along with, we have a few days of jade carving, auto repair, cooking classes, feel very good, very relaxed, I believe I can learn a skill in Ruili." Yiwei Ao, a student from Nankham, Myanmar, said happily.

Under the guidance of the "Belt and Road" education cooperation initiative, Ruili City, with its unique location advantage of development and opening up along the border, actively explores a new model of "vocational education going to the sea". In October 2024, Ruili Vocational High School signed the "Sino-Myanmar Vocational Education Joint School Cooperation Agreement" with Myanmar Naypyidaw Anbang Training School, Myanmar Yangon Vocational and Technical College, and Myanmar Mandalay Fuqing School, and introduced Yunnan Sanhao Education Group to build the "Clothing Design and Craft" industry-education integration training base. At the same time, it carries out online publicity and enrollment work for dozens of schools in Mujje, Nankham and other places in Myanmar, and in combination with the market demand of bilateral industrial development in Myanmar, it opens majors such as clothing design and craft, tourism foreign language (Burmese), e-commerce, and automobile application and maintenance to Myanmar students.

"On March 10, we welcomed our first 10 international students. The enrollment relies on the innovative model of "government support, school-enterprise linkage", local key enterprises participate in the whole process of talent training, student tuition and accommodation fees are free, uniforms, bedding and other living materials are donated by the enterprise, and those who are excellent in character and learning can also get special grants every year. From the moment they enter school, children sign an employment intention agreement with the company, and truly achieve a 'start to work'." Ruili City vocational middle school vice president Li Wenbo introduced.

It is reported that the first batch of international students will major in clothing design and technology, and will focus on serving the construction of Ruili border industrial Park in the future. The school will work with leading enterprises to build a "classroom + workshop" teaching model, so that international students can systematically learn Chinese and various professional skills here, and the technical backbone of the enterprise regularly gives lectures in the school, and students go to the training base of the cooperative enterprise every semester to carry out practical operations to further improve the professional ability of students. This "Chinese + vocational skills" education model allows international students to integrate into the campus faster and better adapt to the development and construction of Ruili Industrial Park along the border.

"We not only teach technology, but also cultivate versatile talents who understand language, understand rules and can innovate." Yongchengpeng, head of Yunnan Sanhao Education Management Group, said.

Up to now, Myanmar students have consulted enrollment policies about 1,500 times, and 101 students have reached enrollment intentions. After the first batch of students enrolled, the second batch of 25 students from Yangon, Myanmar, will set foot on campus from March 25 to 28. In 2025, Ruili Vocational High School will recruit 1,000 international students, vigorously promote Myanmar, continue to reach cooperation with schools in Myanmar, and jointly train vocational and technical talents.

The arrival of international students has built a new bridge for exchanges and cooperation between China and Myanmar in education, culture and other fields, laying a solid foundation for promoting China-Myanmar friendly cooperation and promoting regional prosperity and development.

The class bell rang, the campus suddenly lively. They walked out of the classroom with the students around them, went to the canteen together, played on the playground together, and echoed in the school with laughter.

The seeds of China-Myanmar friendship in the new era are germinating. International students will learn knowledge and skills in a foreign country, harvest precious friendship, and lay a solid foundation for the future. Ruili City will also open a new chapter of "paukphaw" friendship in the new era with the practice of integrating industry and education.

Yunnan network reporter Yang Zhihui Ruili financial media Zheng Jie Zhang Luqian Li Yuanpeng

Managing Editor: Li Xiang