China and ASEAN countries vowed to cooperate on developing vocational education to serve and upgrade regional economic transformation, at a forum on Wednesday as part of the ongoing 10th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO).

Educational officials and experts from China and ASEAN countries attended the forum to discuss new ways to develop vocational education, in Nanning of South China, the permanent meeting site of CAEXPO.

Du Zhanyuan, vice-education minister of China, said vocational education is the most direct way to contribute to social and economic development, and technical talents are badly needed to tackle economic crisis and develop the real economy.

There are 10 China-ASEAN vocational training centers in six provinces and autonomous regions in China, and the number of exchange students is expected to reach 100,000 by 2020, according to Thai representatives.

Lao representative Bounpheng Somchanmavong said Laos has benefited a lot from the program as the country's education is under-developed.