On November 1st, local time, Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China, attended the General Policy Debate of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and delivered a speech as the Chinese representative.
Huai Jinpeng pointed out that today’s human society is facing many new challenges, and how education can respond to development needs, promote mutual understanding, and enhance common well-being through its own transformation is a shared proposition of the times. The Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and Global Governance Initiative (GGI), put forward successively by Chinese President Xi Jinping, have contributed Chinese solutions to addressing global changes and resolving pressing challenges, and also offered fundamental guidance for educational reform.
Huai Jinpeng put forward three proposals based on China’s practices and future development plans. First, to embrace the age of intelligence, we must work together to advance educational transformation, enhance the restructuring of learners’ competency frameworks, and foster an educational ecosystem that supports holistic development. China stands ready to continue collaborating with UNESCO to host conferences on artificial intelligence and education, so as to accelerate the digital and intelligent transformation of global education. Second, to sustain economic prosperity and growth, we should jointly explore a policy exchange mechanism for the high-quality, coordinated development of education, society and opening-up. China is willing to share its experience and platforms with other countries to discuss effective ways to integrate education with the economy. Third, to adapt to the reform of global governance, we need to join hands to build a fairer and more inclusive global community for international educational cooperation. China remains committed to expanding South - South cooperation and is ready to co - host the World Conference on Education Development with UNESCO to drive educational transformation.
Huai Jinpeng emphasized that China has always been a staunch supporter and active participant in UNESCO. He expects the organization to build consensus, uphold cooperation, deepen reform, improve efficiency, and especially reinvigorate its global leadership in education, so as to make new contributions to the progress of human civilization.