Abstract:  E'xploring the research hotspots and trends in vocational education in ethnic regions of Chinacan provide valuable insights for further investigation and contribute to a better understanding of the de.velopment trends in this field. This study employs bibliometric analysis, using journal articles on vocational education in ethnic areas from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKl) database , in.cluding SCl, Peking University Core Journals, and CSSCl, published between 2004 and 2024. CiteSpace and Ofice software are used to extract the characteristics of the journal articles, generating publication volume trend charts , author and institution distribution maps, high-frequency keyword charts, cluste.ring diagrams, and emergence graphs. The research indicates that the development of vocational educa.tion in ethnic areas aligns with national development strategies. The current and future research directionsfor vocational education in these regions focus on supporting local development, empowering rural revitalization, promoting high-quality development, and digital transformation. The study also emphasizes acombined approach of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Key words:  ethnic regions, vocational education, research hotspots and trends, visual analysis, empiri.cal research