Education is a driving force for cultural development and economic growth as well as an important basis for prosperity and social security.

The level and quality of education, professional skills and qualifications have a direct influence on economic success.

Vocational training plays a crucial role. Germany with its vast and longstanding experiences in the "dual education vocational training system" offers these benefits to China, which has a tremendous need for more skilled labor.

A greater awareness should be raised for vocational training to serve the collective good and just like a university education, it is a valid opportunity for career advancement.

When implementing vocational training, special focus should be given to a specific objective to qualify skilled labor and give them the tools and abilities to work autonomously, competently and creatively within their field of work.

Nowadays, Germany and China can look back at more than 30 years of history in the field of vocational training, which has brought about many positive results.

The Sino-German Years of Science and Education 2009-10 emphasizes vocational training. With a high level of commitment from both sides, many projects have been initiated and implemented for the economic benefit of both countries.

A memorandum of understanding on vocational training was signed and would be put into practice step by step after Sino-German consultations in June 2011.

One step was the joint inauguration of a center for vocational training in Chongqing by Vice-Chancellor Zhou Zeyang of Chongqing Normal University and State Secretary Dr Georg Schtte of the Federal Ministry for Science and Technology.

China can build on the past decade of cooperation and count on these networks that were forged in this framework.

Germany and China can make a substantial contribution to advance economic relations between the two countries by enhancing cooperation and the training of highly skilled workers.