Vietnam News Agency receives First Class Independence Medal

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasized that VNA needs to continue to take the lead in accurately and vividly informing and propagating the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's laws and policies, contributing to quickly bringing the Party's resolutions, the National Assembly's resolutions, the Government's programs and action plans into life; promptly reflecting the people's aspirations and urgent issues arising from real life...

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung speaks at the 70th Anniversary of VNA. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

This morning (September 15), Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended and delivered a speech at the 70th Anniversary of Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and received the First Class Independence Medal. The ceremony was attended by former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and leaders of several central ministries and branches. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, former President Le Duc Anh, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan, and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi sent congratulatory flower baskets.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed, “Over the past 7 decades of striving to build and grow, VNA has always accompanied the revolutionary cause of our Party and people, and is always worthy of being an important official information channel of our Party, State and people.”

According to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, through two resistance wars against foreign invaders, VNA's cadres, reporters and telegraph operators were present in almost all battlefields and fronts, fighting with their pens, hearts and guns, overcoming countless hardships and sacrifices, delivering information and images quickly, objectively and vividly about the heroic fight of our army and people.

VNA news is also an important information channel that helps the Central Committee have more basis to direct activities on the battlefield and gain the sympathy and support of people nationwide and around the world.

Hot news from the fronts has contributed to arousing the determination to fight, defeat the invaders, regain national independence, unify the country, and create motivation for vibrant emulation movements both at the front and in the rear. More than 260 VNA journalists have heroically sacrificed and remained on the battlefields in the two resistance wars, accounting for two-thirds of the country's martyr journalists, embodying the noble sacrifice and great contribution of VNA to the country and the revolutionary cause of our people.

In the process of innovation, construction and protection of the country with many difficulties and challenges, VNA has continued to affirm its role as a key press agency, striving to overcome many difficulties, and performing well its function as an "information bank" providing information to the press system and the public at home and abroad.

At the same time, it plays a good role in orienting public opinion, creating social consensus, promoting the combined strength of the entire people, assisting the Government and the Prime Minister in directing and managing the country's socio-economy.

With a network of reporters spread across the country and a large team of reporters regularly operating in more than 30 countries and territories around the world, along with online information exchange with 42 international news agencies and press organizations, VNA has become the press agency with the widest and richest information network compared to domestic press agencies.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung presents the First Class Independence Medal to VNA. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

This is a solid foundation that helps VNA always follow "hot" events at home and abroad, providing thousands of news articles on political, social, economic, cultural, sports, science-technology, and environmental issues.

During the recent days of fierce struggle to protect the territory and sovereignty of the sea and islands, VNA has increased its news routes; many reporters have bravely been present in the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos to reflect the brave spirit of our soldiers and fishermen, promptly and honestly reflect the developments of the situation, widely disseminated domestically and internationally, received the sympathy of the people of the whole country and contributed to gaining the support of the international community for Vietnam's just stance in the struggle.

“On behalf of the Party and State leaders and the Government, I acknowledge, highly appreciate and warmly commend the remarkable growth and great contributions of VNA over the past 70 years,” said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasized that, promoting the revolutionary tradition of the past 70 years, VNA needs to strive to overcome shortcomings and limitations; continue to be a pioneer in accurately and vividly informing and propagating the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and policies, contributing to quickly bringing the Party's resolutions, the National Assembly's resolutions, the Government's programs and action plans into life;

Timely reflect the people's aspirations and urgent issues arising from real life; promptly provide highly persuasive information to combat erroneous and hostile viewpoints; protect the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and citizens.

The most important immediate task of VNA is to disseminate information about Party Congresses at all levels and the 12th National Party Congress, reflect opinions of all walks of life on draft documents and reports submitted to the Congress, contributing to realizing the people's right to mastery in the process of building policies and guidelines of our Party and State.

At the same time, promoting its advantages and extremely important role as an official information agency of the Party and State, VNA needs to continue to strive to produce more and more journalistic works imbued with the breath of life, sharp political and commentary articles, with strong and widespread influence, contributing to the correct orientation of public opinion.

In addition, the Prime Minister also noted that VNA needs to proactively apply advances in information technology, develop many types of journalism on advanced technology platforms, and strive to soon become a strong national multimedia media complex as directed in the Politburo's national press planning orientation to 2025.

“To do this, each VNA journalist needs to constantly improve his/her political qualities and ethics, broaden his/her knowledge, have sharp professional reflexes, and be ready to commit to and master advanced science and technology,” Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung requested.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh visit the Vietnam News Agency Television studio. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

At the same time, the Prime Minister believes: “VNA will continue to innovate in all aspects, promote resources more effectively to truly become a strong national multimedia media complex, making worthy contributions to the cause of national construction and defense, having influence and competitiveness not only domestically but also regionally and internationally; always worthy of its fine and glorious traditions, worthy of the trust and love of the Party, State and people”.

At the ceremony, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung awarded the First Class Independence Medal to VNA.

On September 15, 1945, from Bach Mai Radio Station (Hanoi), the first news bulletins of Vietnam News Agency (now VNA) were broadcast worldwide, including the full text of the Declaration of Independence and the list of members of the Provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. This was also the first bulletin marking the birth of a national news agency of the new State of Vietnam.

From a small group of reporters and technicians with rudimentary equipment in the early days of its establishment, VNA has now become a news agency with a system of professional and modern operating equipment.

In recent years, VNA has promoted the development of various types of information: text, photos, television, graphics, radio... bringing together more than 60 information products of many types of journalism: printed newspapers, electronic newspapers, television.

In addition to its headquarters in Hanoi, VNA has an agency in the Central and Central Highlands regions (headquartered in Da Nang City), an agency in the Southern region (headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City), and a system of resident agencies across 63 provinces and cities nationwide and 30 resident agencies abroad in 28 countries on 5 continents around the world.

VNA is currently a member of the Executive Board of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) and an active member of the World Organization of News Agencies. VNA currently has bilateral and multilateral cooperation with about 40 major news agencies and press organizations in the world.

According to Government.vn