In classrooms and training centres across China, a growing number of students from Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond are learning not just the Chinese language, but how the country’s factories operate, how supply chains are managed and how products are marketed and sold across borders.

Hebei Software Institute, in the northern city of Baoding, has been at the forefront of the push. The vocational college said it had established multiple overseas-oriented programmes in recent years, particularly with partners in Thailand, combining Chinese-language training with courses in e-commerce, digital marketing and information technology.

As economic growth slows at home and Chinese companies push deeper into global markets, vocational education is emerging as a quiet yet strategic tool – not just training workers but also supporting the export of industrial ecosystems, standards and ways of doing business.

Courses are often designed jointly by schools and companies, with students trained in real production environments that range from factory floors to live-streaming studios and logistics hubs.

“In an ideal scenario, this ‘Chinese language plus vocational skills’ model can provide direct talent support for Chinese companies going global,” said Zhao Zhijiang, a researcher at Anbound, an independent think tank based in Beijing.

“What many firms lack is not just workers, but people who understand both Chinese business practices and local markets. These individuals can serve as a bridge.”

That bridge function is becoming critical, from electric vehicle manufacturing to cross-border e-commerce, as Chinese firms build production bases, logistics networks and digital platforms overseas.

China’s outbound investment and overseas project activity have continued to expand. Total outbound direct investment reached US$174.4 billion last year, up 7.1 per cent year on year, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.

Investment in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative – China’s plan to increase global trade – grew even faster, with non-financial direct investment rising 17.6 per cent to US$39.7 billion.