(NB&CL) Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi affirmed that, in the journey of developing foreign affairs activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association (VJA), they are increasingly being promoted, with many remarkable achievements. Foreign affairs activities not only enhance the position of the VJA but also contribute to building a positive image of the country in the eyes of international friends, thereby affirming the role of Vietnamese journalism in the context of global integration...
Increase quantity, focus on quality, efficiency, content
+ Sir, 2024 is an exciting year with many activities, including the people's diplomacy activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association. Could you please share more specifically about this activity?
- Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi: In Vietnam's diplomatic and foreign affairs activities, there are 3 areas: Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy, in which the foreign affairs activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association are one of the important activities of people's diplomacy... The year 2024 recorded excitement with the working trips of the Association's leaders as well as many international press delegations visiting and working.
Accordingly, we have implemented 18 foreign affairs activities, bilateral and multilateral relations between the Vietnam Journalists Association and important partners and traditional friends continue to be maintained and kept in close contact. Typically, in September 2024, the Vietnam Journalists Association organized a working delegation to visit and work in Cuba, visit and work in Laos...
Notably, in August 2024, representatives of the Vietnam Journalists Association accompanied General Secretary and President To Lam to visit China and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the "Press and media exchange program between the Vietnam Journalists Association and the China National Journalists Association for the period 2024-2029" in the presence of General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping. As part of the cooperation agreement between the two sides, the Vietnam Journalists Association sent representatives to attend the "Belt and Road" Program and the event "Exchange activities of the Lancang-Mekong Tourism Cities Cooperation Alliance in 2024" in China.
Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi - Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association.
In addition, the Cambodian Journalists Club will pay an official visit and work in Vietnam from May 13-17, 2024. The delegation of the Korean Journalists Association is the first international delegation to visit and work with the Vietnam Journalists Association in 2024 (from April 8-12, 2024). This is also the first official visit to Vietnam by the newly elected President of the Korean Journalists Association.
In addition, at the invitation of the Korean Journalists Association, the Vietnam Journalists Association sent delegates to attend the 2024 World Journalists Conference with the theme "The Role of the Press in Reporting on World War and Peace" in Korea from April 21-26, 2024. From August 12-16, 2024, a 6-member delegation of the Thai Journalists Association led by Ms. Norrinee Ruangnoo, President of the Thai Journalists Association, visited and worked in Vietnam. In November 2024, a 5-member delegation of the Vietnam Journalists Association paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand.
At the invitation of the President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, the Indonesian Journalists Association paid a working visit to Vietnam from April 21-26, 2024. From October 7-11, 2024, the National Union of Journalists of Malaysia (NUJ) sent a delegation to visit and work in Vietnam. The Vietnam Journalists Association and the National Union of Journalists of Malaysia discussed and exchanged views on further promoting the sending of press delegations to exchange professional expertise between the two sides... In addition, key state press agencies such as the Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, Nhan Dan Newspaper... also actively exchanged and expanded cooperation with the international press.
+ Expanding cooperation, promoting foreign affairs activities, enhancing the Association’s reputation in the international arena, especially in the ASEAN Community… shows the efforts of the Vietnam Journalists Association in raising the Association’s position in the region. Sir, in this activity, how effective has the Vietnam Journalists Association been in the past?
- Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi : People's diplomacy creates opportunities for the Vietnam Journalists Association to participate in international forums, contributing to shaping global journalism standards. This helps to enhance Vietnam's voice and reputation in the media field. It can be said that an atmosphere of international cooperation, proactive and effective, continuing to consolidate and deepen relations with strategic partners such as Laos, China, Thailand, South Korea, Cuba, etc. has helped to enhance the position of the Vietnam Journalists Association.
We continuously welcome foreign press delegations to exchange professional experiences, thereby maintaining and strongly promoting foreign relations. We not only increase the number of delegations visiting but also pay special attention to the quality, effectiveness and content of the visits. We not only visit diplomatically and visit abroad but also organize talks and discussions on journalism in the flow of digital transformation, digital journalism...
The delegation of the Vietnam Journalists Association worked with the leaders of the Lao News Agency (KPL). Photo: VNA
The visits, working sessions and talks between Journalists Associations are very important, providing opportunities for direct meetings and discussions on common issues of world journalism trends. The coordination of organizing seminars and conferences has strengthened cooperation and enhanced understanding between countries. A highlight in the Association's foreign affairs activities is the 2023 conference "International Journalism Conference "Management of digital press offices: Theory, practice, experience in the ASEAN region" - the first time a purely professional conference was organized with content close to reality in journalism activities, with the participation of 7 countries and many experts with experience in this field.
This workshop was highly appreciated by international colleagues, connecting, exchanging, sharing knowledge and experience in digital transformation of journalism among ASEAN countries, contributing to suggesting solutions to build press agencies in a professional, humane, and modern direction; effectively innovating the reader experience; creating new sources of revenue; promoting the development of the digital content industry...
Spread the message of each country to the public and society
+ Sir, it is known that through foreign affairs activities, we not only spread messages about our profession but also make an important contribution to the common mission, strongly spreading the "independent, self-reliant, peaceful, cooperative, friendly, developed, prosperous, happy version of Vietnam", creating inspiration, arousing the desire for prosperous development and happiness all over the world...?
- Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi: That's right. On the people's foreign affairs front, the Vietnam Journalists Association has closely followed the leadership and direction of the Party and State to help the international community better understand Vietnam's foreign policy and viewpoints.
In particular, we also spend a lot of time discussing the press activities of each country, thereby exchanging experiences and drawing appropriate operational lessons in the new situation. Introducing to international friends beautiful images of gentle, hospitable, peace-loving people, unique natural landscapes of localities in particular and Vietnam in general; besides that, the potential, achievements, and development of the country...
For example, with Thailand, in addition to sharing professional experience in the digital transformation period of journalism, visits and working sessions between the two sides have brought the image of Vietnam, its land and people to Thailand and vice versa, contributing to promoting cooperation in trade, tourism and services.
Delegation of Vietnam Journalists Association visited and held talks with Thai Journalists Association. Photo by Do Ngoc Ha
It can be seen that the foreign affairs activities of the press in general and the foreign affairs activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association in particular are not only within the press community but also through these activities, through press agencies, the messages of each country will be spread to the public and to society.
In fact, after business trips or welcoming delegations, we always follow the news of other countries and there are many good and positive articles about Vietnam. Journalists not only do foreign affairs with each other but through their journalistic works also promote and strengthen the friendly and cooperative relations between countries, between the governments and people of the countries. The foreign affairs activities of the press have a high impact... That is our characteristic!
+ As you assess, the foreign affairs activities of the press really have a strong influence, not only in the press community but also at the national and ethnic level. How has that been assessed and recognized in the current context, sir?
- Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi: Vietnam's policy and motto is to be a friend and trustworthy partner with countries and international friends. Vietnam is an open country, an open country... The Vietnam Journalists Association and the Vietnamese press are also actively participating in and promoting this trend. Strengthening relationships and exchanges with regional and international press organizations and providing information about the international situation helps foreign press better understand Vietnam and provide more accurate information about Vietnam.
The achievements in foreign affairs of the Vietnam Journalists Association have been highly appreciated by the leaders of the Party and the State. At the end of 2023, we were awarded a certificate of merit by the Central External Relations Commission for our outstanding achievements in people's foreign affairs in the field of fighting and mobilizing to protect national and ethnic interests and for our collective achievements in people's foreign affairs in the field of foreign information and propaganda. In addition, recently, a number of press agencies that have won international awards such as Nhan Dan Newspaper, VTV, VOV, etc. have also been highly appreciated by international journalists.
Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association Le Quoc Minh led a delegation of the Vietnam Journalists Association (VJA) to visit the print newspaper office of Matichon Press Group. Photo: Dinh Truong - Nhan Dan Newspaper
+ We can see the spirit of “connecting responsibility” of the Vietnam Journalists Association in foreign affairs activities. How is the support of press agencies and local Associations so that the strengthening of foreign cooperation is no longer just a “connection” from the Central Government, sir….?
- Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi: In addition to the Vietnam Journalists Association, the State's key press agencies are actively expanding international press cooperation. Many press agencies across the country from the central to local levels, through various methods, are promoting cooperation with press agencies and local Journalists Associations of other countries... contributing significantly to promoting the country and people of Vietnam to international friends.
The Vietnam Journalists Association has developed a foreign affairs strategy, clearly defining the goals, partners, content, and appropriate cooperation methods; improving the effectiveness of foreign affairs information work; strengthening advisory and research work; perfecting the apparatus, improving the capacity of staff working in foreign affairs; using our team of reporters abroad; raising the level of multilateral diplomacy; participating in guiding and sharing experiences in foreign affairs information work with other people's organizations...
The Vietnam Journalists Association hopes that in the coming time, leaders of press agencies and local Association organizations, in addition to participating in the Association's delegation, need to proactively establish relationships with their partners, with press agencies, local associations of other countries... The Vietnam Journalists Association is like a bridge, a connection and we hope that from that bridge of responsibility, press agencies and Associations at all levels will continue to develop further to create a unique mark in this field.
Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi welcomed the Cambodian delegation. Photo: Son Hai
Looking forward to your budget to continue to do better.
+ In the context of the Vietnam Journalists Association's foreign affairs activities keeping pace with the country's general transformation, especially in the context of increasingly deep international integration, you once shared that: We absolutely have the potential to do better in our role as a responsible connecting unit... So in the coming time, how will the people's foreign affairs activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association continue to "expand and improve" to meet this goal, sir?
- Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi: The country's foreign affairs have many channels, but it must be said that the foreign affairs activities of the press are extremely important, not only helping journalists improve their understanding of international press and countries around the world, but also being a channel for journalists to convey positive messages, promoting the country and people of Vietnam to international friends.
In that spirit, I believe that in the current challenging context, the issue of uniting to form a community of strength is very important. Correctly assessing the context, looking directly at hot issues to find solutions is the way to elevate the position of press organizations and associations in the region that we continue to aim for. Of course, we also need more diverse and rich implementation methods, not just stopping at the form of seminars and talks...
Hot issues of global journalism will certainly continue to be the stories discussed a lot among journalists in the region such as: The fight against fake news, the role of official news sources, innovation to gain dominance in cyberspace; refuting false information, promoting the application of technology and artificial intelligence in information production and distribution... It can be said that the above activities not only enhance the position of the Vietnam Journalists Association but also contribute to building a positive image of the country in the eyes of international friends, thereby affirming the role of Vietnamese journalism in the context of global integration.
In 2025, the Vietnam Journalists Association aims to actively and effectively participate in the activities of the ASEAN Press Confederation. Continue to coordinate with a number of organizations and representatives of foreign press agencies to organize courses, forums, and seminars with the aim of exchanging expertise, improving professional qualifications, and gradually improving professional training and education for members - journalists.
Journalist Nguyen Duc Loi, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association and representatives of several Vietnamese travel companies.
In 2025, HNB Vietnam will also coordinate with press agencies to continue expanding traditional cooperative relations, especially cooperation between major domestic press agencies and foreign press agencies. Organize activities for the Association and its levels to expand bilateral and multilateral relations, thereby enhancing foreign relations and improving the quality of foreign affairs of the press.
In the coming time, in addition to strengthening relations with countries in the region, the Vietnam Journalists Association also wishes to establish many new relationships with countries and developed press organizations in the world. In particular, in 2025, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam Press, the 75th anniversary of the Vietnam Journalists Association and many other meaningful major commemorative programs, welcoming press delegations and international colleagues... is our wish.
One of the major challenges for the Vietnam Journalists Association's foreign affairs activities is the limited financial resources, which require attention and support from the authorities. We hope that the authorities will pay attention and create budget conditions for the Vietnam Journalists Association to further strengthen its foreign affairs activities because this is an important channel to promote the image of Vietnam internationally, and an opportunity to spread the message about Vietnam in the context of strong transformation in the new era.
+ Thank you very much!
Ha Van (Implementation)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/doi-ngoai-nhan-dan--nang-tam-vi-the-hoi-nha-bao-viet-nam-post327766.html
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