Chinese contestants secured the top spot at the 47th WorldSkills Competition medal tally by winning 36 of the 59 gold medals, as the competition concluded in Lyon, France on Sunday night.
In addition to their gold medals, the Chinese team won nine silvers, four bronzes and eight medallions of excellence. They also achieved their fifth successive championship in CNC Milling and forth successive championship in the Bricklaying and Fashion Technology, respectively.
Two Chinese participants in the Industry 4.0 competition were honored with the prestigious Albert Vidal Award for achieving the highest overall score in the event.
"We won gold medals in 36 of the 59 events in the competition. We made many breakthroughs this year. We maintained our leading position in Manufacturing and Engineering Technology and Construction and Building Technology. And we also made breakthroughs in Information and Communication Technology and Social and Personal Services, which is really not easy," said Wu Liduo, deputy head of the Chinese delegation.
At the closing ceremony, the WorldSkills flag was officially passed from Lyon to the Chinese city of Shanghai, which will host the 48th edition of the competition.
This year's event, held on Sept 10-15 with the events running on Sept 11-14, drew around 1,400 participants from nearly 70 countries and regions to compete in the 59 skill categories. Sixty-eight Chinese contestants participated in all the skill categories.
China tops 47th WorldSkills Competition medal tally
Starting on Saturday, the Budapest China town hosted a two-day Spring Festival celebration, bringing traditional Chinese performances, delicacies and culture to the city, and attracting locals to try all kinds of activities from the east. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Temple Fair brought together thousands of artists and visitors from the East and the West to welcome the approaching 2025 Spring Festival, which marks the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Jan 29.
"The reason why we are here is that we are very much interested in Chinese culture, tradition and music," said a visitor. With dragon and lion dances, as well as traditional Chinese operas performed, Chinese music and dances are among the most popular forms of entertainment, especially for children. "My children love Chinese culture, so I've taken them here," said a mother with two kids. "I think this is awesome, and the music is the most attractive part. It is worth a visit," added her daughter. Many families reached the place early in the morning to find the best positions to enjoy the shows and events, which provides local people a chance to learn about Chinese traditions. "Since the temple fair's opening this morning, we have been here with the family members and our little boy loves everything here, particularly the music and dance," said a father. "We know that every Chinese Lunar Year is connected with a different animal, and as far as I know, this year is a Year of the Snake," said his wife. Every Chinese Lunar New Year ushers in a new reigning animal representing one of the 12 zodiac signs on the Chinese lunar calendar, with 2025 being a Year of the Snake.
Among all the visitors, István Jakab, deputy speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, guested the fair, and shared his best wishes for China-Hungary relations. "The friendship between China and Hungary has been a legend, and the future is bright and beautiful. Till now, the cooperation between the two countries has been productive, and we are confident we will seek closer cooperation in the future. Gong Xi Fa Cai [Wish You Great Fortune]," said Jakab. "Gong Xi Fa Cai (Wish You Great Fortune)," he added, extending best New Year wishes in Chinese.
Chinese New Year fair opened in Budapest to mark upcoming Spring Festival