On August 5, a 30‑member special delegation of Lao Party and government officials led by Daravone Kittiphanh, Deputy Party Committee Secretary and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos, visited Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (ZZULI) for inspection and exchange. The visit aimed to gain an in‑depth understanding of innovative talent cultivation practices at Chinese universities against the backdrop of digitalization and artificial intelligence. Relevant leaders from the International Department, Central Committee of CPC, the Education Department of Henan Province, and Henan Hongqiqu Executive Leadership Academy, together with Cao Jian and Zhang Cheng, Vice Presidents of ZZULI, as well as heads of functional departments and relevant schools, accompanied the delegation on the visit and participated in the symposium.

On behalf of ZZULI, Cao Jian delivered a welcome address. She introduced ZZULI's educational strengths in closely aligning with pillar light‑industry sectors including food, electrical engineering, and intelligent manufacturing, along with its achievements in fostering interdisciplinary education featuring the integration of "digital technology and light‑industry sectors". She noted that China and Laos are linked by mountains and rivers and share profound traditional friendship. Education serves as a vital bond for people‑to‑people connectivity. Taking this visit as an opportunity, she expressed her expectation to establish a long‑term exchange platform, pursue mutual learning in such areas as joint study programs for young students and research collaboration in artificial intelligence, and jointly contribute wisdom and strength to deepening China‑Laos educational cooperation and consolidating public support for the China‑Laos Community with a Shared Future.

In his address, Yang Guang, Deputy Director‑General of the Education Department of Henan Province, briefed attendees on Henan's provincial conditions and educational landscape, as well as outcomes of long‑term educational cooperation between Henan and Laos. He fully recognized the distinctive practices carried out by ZZULI in talent cultivation empowered by artificial intelligence. He expressed the hope that both sides would take this high‑level meeting as a brand-new starting point to further deepen mutual learning in digital education and AI‑related talent cultivation, scale up two‑way student exchanges, advance joint development of vocational education standards and cooperation in international Chinese‑language education, establish regular exchange channels for teachers, students, and young people, promote high‑quality development of practical educational cooperation between Henan and Laos, and continuously consolidate the foundation for China‑Laos people‑to‑people connectivity.

Daravone Kittiphanh expressed gratitude to ZZULI for its thoughtful and meticulous reception arrangements, and spoke highly of its long-standing experience in smart campus development, integration of industry and education, and digital talent cultivation. She hoped that follow-up efforts will be made to promote the establishment of regular communication mechanisms between educational authorities and higher learning institutions across provinces of Laos and Henan Province, share experience in digital‑oriented talent cultivation, and consolidate the foundation of time‑honored China‑Laos friendship.

The head of the Academic Affairs Office of ZZULI delivered a special report on practical measures involving the reform of interdisciplinary talent cultivation, curriculum system development, construction of practical teaching platforms, and industry‑education collaborative talent cultivation in the era of digitalization and artificial intelligence. Participants from both sides engaged in open exchanges on core topics such as the digital transformation of higher education, talent cultivation, and high‑level open education, creating a lively on‑site discussion atmosphere.

Prior to the symposium, the delegation members visited the Smart Campus Exhibition Hall, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Building. They inspected ZZULI's achievements in terms of the digital campus management platform, smart teaching services, and comprehensive campus information‑based governance, and gained detailed insights into ZZULI's practical experience in empowering education, teaching and campus governance with digital technologies. The delegation also toured the Huawei ICT Academy, listened to student participants' introductions to their ongoing R&D projects, and had in‑depth exchanges with on‑site staff concerning the development of industry‑education integration platforms, digital talent cultivation, support for youth innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as university‑enterprise collaborative education models.

This special visit paid by the delegation of Lao Party and government officials constitutes an important practice under the coordination of the International Department, Central Committee of CPC for China‑Laos exchanges between Party and government officials and for deepening practical educational cooperation between Henan and Laos. It has built a brand‑new bridge for dialogue between Henan and Laos in digital education and AI‑related talent cultivation. Even more significantly, it serves as a powerful vehicle for consolidating public support for the all‑weather China‑Laos Community with a Shared Future in the new era.