Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang talks about her expectations for the "face" of Vietnamese journalism, particularly foreign relations journalism:

Today, the press is not just simple paper, but information transmission under multiple forms, including print newspaper, radio, television, online newspapers, and social media platforms. It produces and disseminates hundreds of million of articles in cyberspace and tens of thousands of hours of radio and television broadcasts annually, applying advanced modern technologies.

As an integral part of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, foreign relations journalism has been endeavoring to contribute to the common mission. It leads and plays a central role in external information dissemination, tasked with "bringing Vietnam closer to the world and the world closer to Vietnam."

2025 is the year that witnesses many significant national events, including the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam establishment, the 135th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh, the 50th anniversary of the nation's reunification, the 80th anniversary of the country's establishment, and the 100th anniversary of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, among others.

Vietnam will also carry out important bilateral and multilateral foreign activities such as the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum, the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 Summit (P4G), and the opening ceremony for the signing of the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, the Hanoi Convention, etc. 

According to the Deputy Minister, these are opportunities and abundant sources of material for foreign relations press to widely convey to the international community the nation's historical, cultural and revolutionary traditions; and spread the images of a confident, self-reliant and proud nation, with the aspiration to contribute to the country’s development and the strength of great national unity.

However, in a context of information diversity and unprecedented speed, the content delivered to the public, especially international audiences, needs to be more "accessible, acceptable, and attractive."

Hang stressed that journalism needs to be innovative in its approach in creating content by producing viral and trendsetting content, skillfully blending official messages with the latest internet trends to amplify message dissemination.

"Visualizing" content in a direct, concise, easy-to-understand, and lively manner is crucial. Today, when each piece of content has only about 2.5 seconds to capture and retain audience's attention, and when short-form video content (reels) is gaining prominence, renovating the way of delivering historical and cultural content can help make these subjects closer to the general public.

Moreover, it is necessary to effectively distribute content across multiple platforms, especially social media. To do this, foreign relations journalism needs to understand each platform's algorithms, unique characteristics, and audience interests to produce suitable content.

Increasing public engagement in the communications process and listening to public opinion to create media content that aligns with needs and tastes is crucial. Incorporating the perspectives and voices of the public, particularly international audiences, into media products can foster a sense of closeness and sympathy.

Spreading Vietnam’s images more widely

General Secretary To Lam emphasized that the era of rising is an era of development and prosperity under the leadership of the Communist Party. It is about successfully building a socialist Vietnam that is wealthy and strong, with a democratic, fair, and civilized society on par with global powers. Every citizen enjoys prosperous life and happiness.

Hang emphasized that to propel Vietnam into this new era, the top priority task of external and diplomatic work is reinforcing a peaceful, stable environment and firmly safeguarding independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. It also involves seizing favorable conditions and external resources for sustainable socio-economic development and enhancing the country's prestige and position.

To construct and deliver this message "farther and wider" to regional and international friends, mass media can focus on several factors: describing Vietnam as a politically stable nation, which is a solid foundation for economic development, and as a dynamic economy with impressive growth rates and deep integration potential. Successful stories of attracting investment, digital transformation, and increasing added value in the global supply chain can serve as major highlights.

In terms of human culture and national identity, foreign relations journalism should convey Vietnam's proud history, unique cultural values, hospitality, resilience, and intelligence. This portrays an image of a nation that integrates without losing its distinct identity.

Tran Thuong