Francisco Albert Vidal Award Presented to Chinese Engineer He Xiaoman

Beijing – The final night of the 48th World Skills Competition in Shanghai, China, highlighted the achievements of a standout competitor in the rail‑vehicle technology track. He Xiaoman, representing China, earned the highest score among all participants and was presented with the illustrious Francisco Albert Vidal Award. Vidal, often called the father of world skills, played a pivotal role in establishing the World Skills competition and its international governing body.

The award ceremony was part of a broader closing event attended by Chan Qin‑ing, a Politburo member of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and secretary of the Shanghai municipal Party committee, as well as State Councilor Shan Yichin. The ceremony celebrated not only the Francisco Albert Vidal laureate but also the medalists from 64 skill contests and the six Excellence Award honorees.

China’s delegation competed in every discipline and secured 41 gold, 11 silver and four bronze medals, topping the gold‑medal table, the overall medal table and the cumulative team score – the best performance the country has ever recorded at the World Skills stage.

The programme also featured dance and song performances, and concluded with the handover of the World Skills International flag to the forthcoming host nation. The next edition, the 49th World Skills Competition, has been slated for 2028 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

The Shanghai competition operated under the theme "Skills change the world, skills illuminate the future" and was co‑organized by World Skills International, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the Shanghai municipal government, alongside a World Skills Congress and Expo.