In launching a lifelong learning public service system, Guangdong Province aims to take the lead in building a learning society. Hu Jinjun, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Guangdong Provincial Committee, one of the system's developers, explained how this system works in a recent speech. Edited excerpts follow:

At the beginning of 2026, Guangdong solicited proposals for initiatives under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) to accelerate the development of an inclusive public cultural service network. This year, we will organize a series of mass events across the province that are closely interconnected with, and will reinforce, the system. These events include competitions in legal literacy, national defense awareness, choral singing, reading classical works, Cantonese classic songs and science popularization.

Why are we making such a strong commitment? There are three main reasons: First, the changing times. We are living in an era of rapid knowledge expansion and accelerated transformation. Emerging technologies, particularly AI, are profoundly reshaping production, daily life and employment. The old notion that one skill can keep one employable for a lifetime is no longer viable. Continuous and lifelong learning has therefore become vital to the province's adaptations to such changes while it is seeking to secure its future development.

Second, Guangdong's responsibility. As one of China's economic powerhouses and a populous province, Guangdong must take the lead in promoting development. The key to achieving that lies in talent, and the foundation of nurturing talent lies in education. To be a pioneer and a major driving force in achieving high-quality development, Guangdong must invest in people, promote all-around human development and accelerate the transformation of its large population into a strong human resource advantage.

Third, the needs of the people. The public aspires to a better life not only in material wellbeing but also in cultural enrichment, ability enhancement and personal fulfillment. From young people seeking employment to professionals advancing their careers, farmers endeavoring to increase their incomes, children broadening their horizons in exploring the world and seniors contributing to society through continued learning, all demonstrate a profound thirst for knowledge.

Our task is to ensure those needs are met effectively.

Not sure where to learn? We will create a "unified entry point"—log in once and you will access learning resources across the entire platform. Not sure what to learn? We will build a "course marketplace" that offers the best courses from across the province and the country. Concerned about outdated content? We will introduce innovative evaluation mechanisms to keep courses continuously updated. Worried about practical applications? We will establish a "credit bank" that incentivizes learning.

Our goal is simple: to ensure that everyone can learn anywhere, anytime.

We will provide over 300,000 high-quality continuing education slots each year, enabling more people to pursue in-service academic advancement.

We will launch a skill enhancement initiative targeting key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the digital economy, healthcare and elderly care, providing more than 2 million training opportunities each year to address skill gaps.

Through the integration of digital cultural resources, fine culture, especially Guangdong's signature Lingnan culture, will be more accessible to the public.

We will offer a "courier academy" for delivery workers, "senior learning classes" for older adults and a "rural revitalization academy" for new-generation farmers… In short, we will provide whatever services key groups need, tailored to their specific demands.

We will promote the development of learning-oriented cities, communities, enterprises and households and integrate online and offline resources to build a comprehensive lifelong learning network.

While the lifelong learning system is rich in content, its underlying logic is straightforward: to address, in a comprehensive way, where, what and how to learn, and to remove barriers so that those who want to learn can do so effectively and apply their knowledge to practice. BR

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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