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(Baonghean) - Choosing “Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea on party newspapers” as the theme for the 5th Conference of Party Newspapers of the Central and Central Highlands provinces and cities, round IV seemed to have made the atmosphere of the conference “hotter”. Leaders, cadres, and reporters representing 19 local party newspapers in the region and 28 central and local press agencies across the country gathered together in the coastal city of Da Nang with many concerns and emotions.

Panorama of the 5th conference of party newspapers of provinces and cities in the Central Highlands - Central region in Da Nang.

Da Nang City in the last days of March was splendidly decorated to welcome the 40th anniversary of liberation (March 29, 1975 - March 29, 2015). This year, Da Nang also hosted a conference of party newspapers in the Central and Central Highlands regions. The gathering of delegates from 47 press agencies in the region and central newspapers and magazines from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City... made the atmosphere of celebrating the victory day in the coastal city even more exciting.

More specifically, the topic that the press agencies discussed today was “Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea on the party newspaper” as adding a voice to affirm Vietnam’s indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa. Therefore, the members participating in the workshop contributed many opinions with patriotic enthusiasm and propaganda responsibility so that people in all regions could strengthen solidarity and resolutely fight against hostile forces with the ambition to invade the sea and islands of our Fatherland.

In the introduction to the conference, Mr. Mai Duc Loc, Editor-in-Chief of Da Nang Newspaper, emphasized: “The Vietnamese revolutionary press has had a strong voice in many different forms, making an important contribution to the protection of national sovereignty, including Vietnam's indisputable sovereignty over the East Sea. This is the sacred mission of the soldiers on the media front. During that process, all local party newspapers always put this propaganda work in an important position when carrying out their political tasks. It is not only the propaganda of the Central and local policies on sovereignty over seas and islands, but also the multiplication of patriotism of the majority of people, demonstrating the spirit of solidarity and indomitable will of the nation in the new situation…”.

Mr. Mai Duc Loc, Editor-in-Chief of Da Nang Newspaper, reported on the conference.

Patriotism and responsibility to propagate the task of protecting the sovereignty of the Fatherland's sea and islands were strongly demonstrated by local party newspapers through many news and articles resolutely fighting against China when it illegally placed the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig on Vietnam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone. China's arrogant and inhumane actions to attack and threaten Vietnamese law enforcement forces and fishermen operating legally in Vietnam's sovereign waters... were followed, reflected and strongly condemned by Vietnamese and international press agencies.

This event was actively participated in by all domestic press agencies in general and 19 local party newspapers in the Central and Central Highlands provinces, in which, even the coastal provinces of Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Gia Lai also sent reporters to directly follow the situation, increase the amount of news and articles strongly condemning China's actions, affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the inches of land and sea that generations of fathers and grandfathers fought and exchanged blood to protect. Therefore, the righteous struggle of cadres, party members, functional forces and people, including the "media army", drove the Haiyang 981 drilling rig and Chinese armed forces out of Vietnam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone. As affirmed by journalist Doan Minh Phung, Editor-in-Chief of Gia Lai Newspaper at the conference: “In the face of invasion plots of hostile forces, all Vietnamese people join the struggle, and revolutionary journalists must be the most enthusiastic, shouldering great responsibilities…”.

Actively participating in the front of the "media army" during the "stormy" days of the East Sea, besides sending reporters to follow the events, Nghe An Newspaper also closely coordinated with legal experts and researchers to continuously write many articles and publish them in the newspaper's publications. Continuously updated information on the activities of Vietnam's law enforcement forces at sea and Vietnam's diplomatic struggles were also promptly and quickly reported and became a sharp weapon, gaining the support of international public opinion in Vietnam's just fight.

In particular, Nghe An is a great rear base for law enforcement forces at sea and for marine soldiers. In order to promptly encourage soldiers who are on duty in the field, Nghe An Newspaper has published articles and reports on the steadfastness of families in the rear, helping officers and soldiers to be more determined to stick to the sea and complete their tasks. That activity was once again affirmed by journalist Pham Thi Hong Toan, Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper in the workshop: "The Party newspaper must become a "conductor" of propaganda about the sea and islands...".

Highly agreeing with this opinion, in his speech at the workshop, comrade Vu Ngoc Hoang, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, directed: "The conductor" in propaganda must take the initiative, be quick, and accurate, must point out the true nature and plots of hostile forces, and be flexible in the methods and content of propaganda. Party newspapers must be quick, not wait for specific instructions, and make response plans to proactively propagate when incidents occur. Information must have a scientific basis, be accurate, have the right direction, be most impressive, spread farthest, reach the most remote places, and spread throughout the world. From there, arouse patriotism and the sympathy and support of progressive people around the world, creating the strength of the times to protect the sovereignty of the Fatherland. Comrade Hoang Huu Luong, Director of the Press Department - Ministry of Information and Communications, emphasized: "Party newspapers are the core force of revolutionary journalism. Therefore, we need to take the lead in strongly opposing acts of violating Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea. At the same time, we need to focus on propagating policies and laws on sea and island issues..."

Representatives of the conference organizing committee presented gifts to leaders of Hoang Sa island district.

Speaking at the workshop, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Da Nang City Party Committee, Comrade Vo Cong Tri affirmed that it was meaningful to organize a workshop with the theme "Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea on the party newspaper" right in the coastal city of Da Nang - the locality assigned by the State to manage Vietnam's Hoang Sa archipelago, but for the past 41 years it has been illegally occupied by China. Spreading the spirit of patriotism, defending the country from the important headland and sea of ​​the country; continuing to make every Vietnamese person, as well as countries in the region and the world, fully understand Hoang Sa, Truong Sa, and Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea; that responsibility, is partly important for the party newspaper.

To fulfill the above-mentioned great role and task, representatives of party newspapers in the Central Highlands region have made many presentations, in which they proposed many important solutions to promote the propaganda work on Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea in party newspapers. The workshop "Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea in party newspapers" was raised to a new level when international delegates attended. Mr. Lister Donald - English proofreader for Danang Today, who lived in Danang for 7 years, said: “I consider Vietnam my second home. That is why, when China brought the drilling rig into Vietnam's waters, my colleagues at Danang Newspaper and I actively sought out relevant information and evidence to firmly affirm that the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos have belonged to Vietnam's sovereignty for centuries. I believe that in the 21st century, such incidents will be actively addressed by the United Nations. You must both propagate and fight through dialogue and discussion, and at the same time affirm Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos with internationally supported evidence…”.

With a realistic theme, the discussion on “Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea on the party newspaper” of the Central and Central Highlands party newspapers further aroused the national pride and responsibility to the Fatherland of the cadres and reporters of the press agencies. From there, it spread to all classes of people, fostering patriotism of the whole nation. Within the framework of the workshop, Da Nang Newspaper also collected over 100 articles, printed them into a book to pass on to future generations that Hoang Sa and Truong Sa are a part of the flesh and blood of Vietnam.

PV Group