The International Labour Organization (ILO) and China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) have reaffirmed their strategic partnership to advance skills development, social protection and South-South cooperation.
On 12 February 2025, the ILO and MOHRSS convened the Annual Project Steering Committee (PSC) meetings for two initiatives under the ILO-China Partnership on skills development and social protection. The meetings reviewed key milestones achieved to date and provided strategic guidance for the 2026 workplans of both projects.
In his opening remarks, Ma Hezu, Deputy Director-General of MOHRSS, commended the strong results delivered in 2025 under the two projects: ILO/China Partnership Programme on Strengthening Skills Development in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Myanmar through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) and Extending social protection coverage to workers in the informal economy in the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Kenya and leveraging digital transformation through South-South Cooperation.
He highlighted the adoption of the Skills Development Law in the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the continued expansion of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Skills Development Network. He also praised the performance of young competitors from Cambodia and the Lao People's Democratic Republic at the WorldSkills ASEAN competition, supported by Chinese technical institutions.
In December 2025, MOHRSS and the ILO signed a project amendment under which China will provide an additional US$1 million to the skills development initiative, with Indonesia joining as a new partner country. Priorities for the next phase include scaling up the "Skills for Dream" workshops, strengthening regional coordination, and enhancing the project's visibility and impact in support of the ILO Decent Work Agenda through deeper South-South cooperation.
Progress under the social protection initiative was also noted. With technical support from the project, the Lao People's Democratic Republic launched its first social security mobile application, expanding access to services. In addition, a study visit by Kenya's National Social Security Fund to Changsha and Chongqing in China was recognized by Kenya as a valuable experience in extending social security coverage and advancing digital service delivery.
Tuomo Poutiainen, Deputy Regional Director of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, emphasized that "the partnership remains central to the ILO's mission to promote decent work, full employment and social justice worldwide".
