For years, the Confucius Institutes served as China’s primary vehicle for soft power projection. Established from 2004 onwards, these centres aimed to promote Chinese language and culture through Mandarin classes, cultural events, and academic exchanges. Their mission was to foster goodwill and understanding, cultivating a positive image of China among students and the general public worldwide.
However, this cultural overture often met with suspicion. Allegations of propaganda, constraints on academic freedom, and even concerns over potential intelligence-gathering led to significant backlash in Western countries, resulting in the closure of numerous Institutes across the United States, Canada, and Europe. This experience highlighted the limitations of a purely cultural approach, particularly when perceived as a tool for “sharp power” rather than genuine soft power. The evolution of China’s global reach required a new, more subtle method.
A pragmatic evolution in influence
The emergence of Luban Workshops, named after the ancient Chinese craftsman Lu Ban, signals a more pragmatic and economically oriented evolution. Launched in 2016, these workshops focus on providing vocational and technical training in high-demand sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, IT, smart energy systems, and transportation. The methodology is distinctly practical, emphasising hands-on training and skill development tailored to the needs of local labour markets.
A key feature is the provision of modern Chinese equipment and technology, embedding Chinese industrial standards directly into the training programmes. This practical approach is a cornerstone of the new strategy for China’s global reach.
Crucially, Luban Workshops are intrinsically linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), addressing the demand for skilled labour required by Chinese companies operating abroad. This direct connection offers several advantages for Beijing. It cultivates a “compatible” workforce by training local workers in Chinese technological standards. It ensures operational efficiency and exports technological norms, fostering long-term dependencies as graduates become proficient in Chinese technologies.
Furthermore, the direct link between education and employment strengthens China’s image as a reliable partner—a benefit that resonates more deeply than cultural diplomacy in developing nations. Finally, these workshops effectively fill critical technical skill gaps, earning goodwill and demonstrating a commitment to local human capital development.
Geopolitical currents and strategic reorientation
The rise of Luban Workshops represents a significant reorientation in China’s global reach strategy, with clear geopolitical undercurrents. It contrasts sharply with the Western approach, where the United States and European Union have historically emphasised liberal education and democratic values. While these Western programmes often aim for broader societal transformation, China’s vocational centres offer direct employment pathways and technical training, addressing immediate economic needs.
This strategic adjustment allows China to fill a vacuum in regions where Western soft power initiatives have contracted, such as Central Asia and Africa. By providing practical solutions to pressing economic challenges, Beijing gains influence and legitimacy.
The integration of Chinese standards into education and labour markets creates a deeper, more structural form of influence than traditional cultural diplomacy ever achieved. This is not merely about winning hearts and minds; it is about shaping economic structures and institutional landscapes. Luban Workshops function as a complementary tool to the BRI, ensuring a steady supply of skilled personnel for infrastructure projects and strengthening economic interdependence.
This approach also positions China to challenge the dominance of Western technological and industrial standards globally. Through education, China secures a long-term foothold in shaping the institutional frameworks of partner nations, thereby extending its global reach in a manner that is both subtle and profound.
A snapshot of impact
The expansion of Luban Workshops has been rapid. Since 2016, China has established 36 Luban Workshops in 30 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, with 25 of these originating from Tianjin alone [1]. While comprehensive global statistics on graduates remain somewhat fragmented, available data from specific workshops illustrate the scale of their impact.
The expansion of Luban Workshops has been rapid. Since 2016, China has established roughly 30–36 Luban Workshops in Asia, Africa, and Europe, with Tianjin serving as a major hub for the programme. While comprehensive global statistics on graduates remain somewhat fragmented, available data from specific workshops illustrate the scale of their impact.
In Ponorogo, Indonesia, a Luban Workshop has trained approximately 3,600 students, with an impressive 72% securing employment post-graduation. Kazakhstan’s inaugural Luban Workshop currently hosts over 400 students, and reports indicate that, globally, the workshops have provided training to 13,000 students. In Africa, the workshops have trained 137 postgraduate students and 215 key African educators, while Tajikistan’s first Luban Workshop has educated over 1,500 students within approximately one year.
These figures underscore the workshops’ focus on producing a substantial number of skilled technicians who can readily enter the workforce, often within projects linked to Chinese investments. The high employment rates serve as a compelling testament to the efficacy of this model in addressing immediate economic needs and extending China’s global reach.
A new chapter in influence
The Luban Workshops mark a new stage in China’s projection of influence, one that blends education, technology, and economics. By emphasising skills and employability, Beijing has shifted the soft power equation toward tangible development outcomes.
Whether this model endures will depend less on geopolitics than on its ability to genuinely empower local communities—a test that will shape not only China’s global image but the future of educational diplomacy itself.