Party newspapers must become "conductors" of propaganda about seas and islands.

(Speech by Comrade Pham Thi Hong Toan - Provincial Party Committee member, Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper at the Workshop "Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea on Party newspapers" held in Da Nang - March 2015)

(Baonghean.vn) - It is necessary to clearly and consistently perceive the role, responsibility and also the power of the Party newspaper system, which is the "conductor" in the country's media arm in propagating Vietnam's sovereignty over islands in the East Sea.

These days, 27 years ago, the Gac Ma naval battle took place, making the pages of newspapers at home and abroad "hot". In 2014, the Hoang Sa archipelago continued to be in turmoil with the event of China illegally placing the Haiyang 981 drilling rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Even at this moment, Hoang Sa and Truong Sa are still in turmoil due to the illegal and arrogant construction activities of the Chinese authorities.... The fact that Da Nang Newspaper chose the topic "Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea in the Party Newspaper" is an extremely meaningful and practical initiative.

Comrade Pham Thi Hong Toan, Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper, discussed with delegates on the sidelines of the workshop. Photo: NK

Nghe An has 82 km of coastline with an area of ​​4,230 square nautical miles of water surface, along the coast there are 6 estuaries, and 2 islands: Ngu Island and Mat Island. The marine economy plays an important role in the development of Nghe An. The whole province currently has more than 4,000 fishing boats with nearly 19,000 workers working day and night at sea, trying to reach further fishing grounds for effective fishing, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development and preserving the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

The work of informing and disseminating issues of sovereignty over seas and islands, and the marine economy has always been of constant concern and closely directed by the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee of Nghe An province as well as relevant departments and branches. In particular, Nghe An Newspaper - the voice of the Party Committee, government and people of Nghe An province - is the most important channel to disseminate the above contents.

Nghe An Newspaper has 3 publications including Nghe An Daily, Nghe An Weekend, with a circulation of more than 15 thousand copies/day, Ethnic Minority Page with a circulation of 15 thousand copies/week and Nghe An Electronic Newspaper. Identifying the issue of sovereignty over seas and islands as one of the most important contents, Nghe An Newspaper not only effectively implements propaganda but also organizes many social activities to create a spread and social orientation in all aspects.

First, about propaganda work:Nghe An Newspaper always devotes a large amount of time and resources to opening a column called “Protecting the Sovereignty of the Sea and Islands of the Fatherland” on all three publications; Building a team of reporters and collaborators specializing in the issue of sea and islands. Sending reporters to join working delegations to visit and work in Truong Sa and other islands and platforms. Dozens of reporters from Nghe An Newspaper were present on the islands of their homeland, Truong Sa archipelago, DK1 Platform, continuously updating news, articles, photos, and video clips about visits and work in Truong Sa, about the lives of island soldiers, thereby bringing Truong Sa, Hoang Sa and DK1 Platform closer to the mainland... Nghe An Newspaper also organized working delegations to visit and present gifts to officers and soldiers on duty at Mat Island and Ngu Island - two islands located in the province and many working delegations visited and presented gifts to relatives of officers and soldiers on duty in Truong Sa, visited and presented gifts to relatives of heroic martyrs who sacrificed for the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

All publications of Nghe An Newspaper regularly update information at the outpost islands, developments in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam; analyze and comment from the perspective of experts and scholars; articles on military rear work, care for the families of martyrs who sacrificed for the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

During the time China placed the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, along with other media outlets across the country, Nghe An Newspaper quickly took action, proactively reporting news and articles regularly and continuously in its publications. Continuously updated information on the activities of Vietnam's law enforcement forces in the field and Vietnam's diplomatic struggles were also reported promptly and quickly, becoming a sharp weapon, gaining support from international public opinion in Vietnam's just fight.

Sea and island sovereignty is widely, continuously and deeply propagated in Nghe An Newspaper. In the photo, Vietnamese naval forces patrol Nam Yet Island, Truong Sa Archipelago. Photo: NK

Taking advantage of the East Sea incident, hostile forces incited people to take uncontrolled actions. At this time, Nghe An Newspaper proactively worked with agencies and departments to promptly learn and grasp the thoughts and aspirations of workers as well as experts and the Chinese and Taiwanese business community operating in Nghe An, explaining to workers and people that the act of violating Vietnam's waters was the work of the Chinese authorities, not the will of the people as well as Chinese experts and businessmen working in Vietnam. Thanks to good guidance and propaganda work, Nghe An did not experience chaos like some other localities. Chinese and Taiwanese experts and businesses were assured to stay in Nghe An to work during the above event.

In addition to sending reporters to join working groups in Truong Sa, Nghe An Newspaper also invited collaborators who are experts such as Associate Professor, Major General Le Van Cuong, former Director of the Institute of Strategy of the Ministry of Public Security, to be interviewed at the studio and write articles with information and data affirming Vietnam's inviolable sovereignty over the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa.

Continuously updated information on Nghe An Newspaper publications about the activities of Vietnam's law enforcement forces in the field and Vietnam's diplomatic struggles are also reported promptly and quickly, becoming a sharp weapon, gaining the support of international public opinion in Vietnam's just fight.

Thanks to good orientation and propaganda work, Nghe An did not experience the chaos that occurred in some other localities. Chinese and Taiwanese experts and businesses were assured to stay in Nghe An to work during the event.

It can be affirmed that the sovereignty of sea and islands is a content that is regularly propagated in the publications of Nghe An Newspaper, contributing to affirming the sovereignty of Vietnam's sea and islands and at the same time being a sharp weapon against hostile forces. In recent years, Nghe An Newspaper has made many efforts to diversify the forms of propaganda, improve the quality of articles and publications to create great effectiveness in propaganda.

Delegates discuss on the sidelines of the workshop Photo: NK

Second: Organize social activities towards the sea and islands.

As a locality with many children participating in law enforcement forces protecting the sea and islands, in order to promptly encourage soldiers who are fighting in the field, Nghe An Newspaper has published articles and reports in the rear area, helping officers and soldiers feel secure staying at sea. The newspaper also organized working groups to visit and encourage the families of marine soldiers who are fighting to protect sovereignty at sea.

Nghe An Newspaper has joined hands with the Fatherland Front at all levels to organize a campaign to join hands for the sovereignty of the sea and islands. In a short time, the people and agencies, departments and branches of Nghe An province have contributed more than 10 billion VND to the fund for the sovereignty of the sea and islands and directly to the fisheries control departments and the coast guard on duty to support. In addition, Nghe An Newspaper reporters, together with a working delegation from Vinh city, also went directly to Ly Son island district, helping the island district's fishermen with 1 billion VND to encourage them to continue to stick to the Hoang Sa sea... In addition, Nghe An Newspaper has proactively organized working delegations to visit, encourage and support families of policy beneficiaries and relatives of soldiers who have participated in protecting the islands.

In recognition of the efforts and achievements in promoting the sea and islands, in 2014, the Nghe An Newspaper collective was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Ministry of Information and Communications, and one reporter was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Reporters of Nghe An Newspaper working on Co Lin Island, Truong Sa archipelago. Photo: NK

To promote the role of Party newspapers in propaganda about seas and islands:

The contributions of the Party newspaper system on the media front are major and very large. However, we also clearly see that our propaganda work is passive and purely reflective. The press agencies have not really invested and paid due attention to coordinating and exploiting information from specialized agencies and experts in the field, especially in the fields of foreign affairs, military, diplomacy, etc.

From the reality of propagating the issue of sovereignty over seas and islands in Nghe An Newspaper, it is recommended that relevant agencies and departments continue to organize more training sessions on propagating seas and islands in Party newspapers for journalists. It is necessary to increase support and create conditions for more reporters from local Party newspapers to go to Truong Sa, to the Platforms in the southern continental shelf and other island locations of the country to work. There are policies to support technical means to make working in sea and island areas, especially Truong Sa and Platform DK1, more convenient...

In particular, it is necessary to provide information, especially source information, more quickly and promptly; to orient the publication of information more specifically at each time with the viewpoint that propaganda and communication work must go first to orient public opinion. It is necessary to clearly and consistently perceive the role, responsibility and also the power of the Party newspaper system, which is the "conductor" in the country's media arm in propagating Vietnam's sovereignty over islands in the East Sea.

Pham Thi Hong Toan

Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper