The word "differences" has perhaps become the most commonly used identifier for the main factor shaping today's international landscape. Geopolitical conflicts, trade frictions and competition over technology all seem to point in a direction: that common ground among countries is growing harder to find.

But differences are only half the story.

At the 48th WorldSkills Competition, or World-Skills Shanghai 2026, running from Tuesday to Sunday in the city, about 1,400 competitors from nearly 70 countries and regions are competing. They speak different languages and come from different cultural and educational backgrounds, but they face the same standards, tackle the same challenges and strive for the same level of precision.

All competitors are hoping to win, but what is more revealing is that they possess the same skills and follow the same competition procedures.

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In the congratulatory letter he sent to the event on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping noted that the WorldSkills Competition is closely aligned with the needs of industries and provides a useful platform for skilled professionals from various countries to hone their skills and learn from each other.

This points to the core function of skills exchanges: they are not a decorative addition to international cooperation, but a practical and tangible way for countries to connect. This is where skills exchanges derive their distinctive value. Skills are more than a means of earning a living. They can cross borders precisely because they embody values that transcend differences in language and culture.

A young person may know little about the history or culture of another country, yet still understand the concentration and creativity required to make a precise weld, solve a problem through programming or design a product. Such exchanges may not be grand in scale, but they are concrete. They may not erase every difference, but they can create genuine connections.

International cooperation does not always have to begin with attempts to resolve differences. It can also start with practical and down-to-earth questions: How can we train workers to keep pace with new technologies? How can we help young people acquire the skills they need for employment? And how can training help workers adapt to the changes brought about by artificial intelligence, the green transition and digitalization?

These are questions whose answers call for the sharing of experience and mutual learning. Skills exchanges are not an abstract proposition. They translate into concrete projects, shared across borders and deepened through sustained cooperation.

Just as Premier Li Qiang said in his speech at the opening of the WorldSkills Conference 2026, held from Wednesday to Friday alongside the competition, investing in skills is investing in the future, and empowering workers is empowering development. China will keep improving its vocational education and training system, so that more workers can continuously "recharge" their careers and their skills can light up their road to a better life.

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Giving young people more opportunities to travel beyond their own countries, experience different education systems, learn about different ways of working and study alongside peers from different cultural backgrounds is far more meaningful than simply telling them that "the world needs cooperation".

China has built the WorldSkills Museum in Shanghai, and the country is ready to join all parties in building a global skills innovation center, strengthen skills development under the Belt and Road Initiative and through South-South cooperation, and better benefit people of all countries.

Shared experiences and face-to-face interaction often leave a more lasting impression than abstract ideas. People need the opportunity to work with others to accomplish something that can only be achieved through cooperation.