47th WorldSkills Competition kicks off in France

The 47th WorldSkills Competition (WSC) on Tuesday held its opening ceremony at the LDLC Arena near the city of Lyon in France, marking the official beginning of the event.

Formerly known as the International Vocational Training Organization, WSC is an international charity that organizes championships for vocational skills. Every two years, the organization hosts an international competition, which attracts participants from around the world.

Approximately 1,400 participants from nearly 70 countries and regions are set to compete in 59 skill categories within six major sectors including Creative Arts and Fashion, Information and Communication Technology and Construction and Building Technology.

Among them, six categories including Digital Construction, Renewable Energy and Robot System Integration are taking place for the first time this year.

China is dispatching a contingent of 68 competitors, the biggest team the country has sent since it joined the competition.

The team comprises 58 men and 10 women, with an average age of 22. They will participate in all the skill categories, according to the Chinese Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

This is the 7th time that China has organized a team to participate in the competition.

The Chinese team has ranked first in gold medals and total score in the last three championships.

This year's competition is scheduled to run from September 11 to 14, with the closing ceremony on September 15.

WSC was born out of the ruins of the Second World War, seeking to give young people opportunities to excel in professional fields, with the goal of raising "the profile and recognition of skilled people."

The competition now serves as a platform for its member countries or regions to showcase and exchange vocational skills at an advanced level.

(With input from Xinhua)