TAIPEI (Taiwan News) - Taiwan was hoping to share its experience and promote vocational education worldwide through a global skill-building center, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told a visiting delegation from WorldSkills International Thursday.

Taiwan was a veteran member of the organization and proud to host its latest meeting, the Central News Agency quoted the president as saying.

Skilled experts were the foundation of Taiwan’s economic development, showing the country valued skills and education, Tsai told WorldSkills President Simon Bartley.

She said her administration had emphasized the role of youth, helping young creatives and entrepreneurs to realize their dreams and to transform from worker to employer. The government had also launched a national production award aimed at lauding vocational and technical teachers while expanding the scale of competitions, she added.

Promoting skills-based education could solve social problems but also corresponded to the Sustainable Development Goals promoted by the United Nations, according to Tsai.

The second World Skills Center, to be hosted by Taiwan, would allow the island nation to expand international friendships, with the countries of Southeast and South Asia as well as Africa targeted for vocational and technical education aid and exchanges, CNA reported.