BEIJING, June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from China Daily:

Contestants from different countries and regions are showcasing their prowess at the second Belt and Road International Skills Competition held in Chongqing in Southwest China from Monday to Wednesday.

There are 18 competition categories, of which 11 are also part of the WorldSkills Competition, a high-level event of vocational education and skills. These categories include Digital Construction, Electronics, Information Network Cabling and Hairdressing.

The remaining seven categories are Automobile Technology (New Energy), Rail Signal Control Technology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Maintenance, Industrial Robot System Operation, Internet of Things (IoT) Installation and Debugging, Coffee Making and Internet Marketing.

This competition has received widespread attention and active participation from countries and regions around the world. Compared to the first session that was held in Chongqing in 2019, this competition has a higher specification, a larger scale, wider influence and richer activities.

According to statistics, there were 590 skilled people from 61 countries and regions participating in and learning from the event, including 190 competitors, 183 judges, and 30 translators. Some countries involved in this competition sent ministerial-level officials and technical observers to observe and learn from the competition in its entirety.

All competitors in the Electrical Installations and Automobile Technology (New Energy) skills were male, while all participants in the Beauty Therapy skills were female, with females accounting for more than two-thirds of the contestants in the Hairdressing item.

In terms of age, the average age of competitors was 22, with participants aged 30 and below accounting for more than 95 percent of the total, and those aged 20 and below accounting for more than 40 percent. The youngest participant is 15 years old, participating in the Industrial Robot System Operation item.

The opening ceremony was held on the evening of Monday, followed by contests on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the closing ceremony will take place on the evening of Wednesday where awards will be presented to the winners.

In addition to the 18 formal competition categories, there will also be activities such as dialogues, city tours and performances, visits and exchanges arranged for participating teams, and exhibitions to promote cooperation, agreements signing, and the commercialization of related results, striving to make this competition a skills-themed "carnival" with highlights, experiences, and interactions.