General Secretary works with the Central Propaganda Department

Attending the meeting were comrades: Vo Van Thuong - Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department; Nguyen Van Nen - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chief of the Party Central Committee Office; Nguyen Xuan Thang - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics; Vu Duc Dam, - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister; representatives of leaders of central departments, ministries, branches, agencies; leaders and key officials of the Central Propaganda Department.

Reporting on some outstanding results of the Propaganda sector since the 12th Party Congress to date, comrade Vo Van Thuong said that over the past two years, along with the results of sectors and levels across the country, the Propaganda sector has continued to develop and achieved important results.

Notably, it has innovated and improved the quality and effectiveness of studying, grasping and propagating, contributing to the early implementation of the Resolution of the 12th Party Congress and other Party resolutions. Based on the assessment of the implementation of Directive No. 03-CT/TW of the 11th Politburo on "Continuing to promote studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh", the Central Propaganda Department advised the Politburo to issue Directive No. 05-CT/TW (dated May 15, 2016) on "Promoting studying and following the ideology, morality and lifestyle of Ho Chi Minh"; issued guiding documents and compiled documents to serve the implementation of the above Directive throughout the 12th Congress term and each year's theme.

The propaganda system has proactively and actively advised the Politburo, the Secretariat and Party committees at all levels to organize the implementation of Directive No. 05-CT/TW with many good and creative ways; linking studying and following Uncle Ho's example with carrying out political tasks and emulation movements in localities, agencies and units, thereby solving many pressing issues, forming and developing thousands of models, good ways of doing things, typical advanced examples, making an important contribution to the work of Party building.

The Propaganda Department continues to improve the quality of projects submitted to the Politburo, the Secretariat, documents, and guidelines for propaganda work, and review of documents of departments, ministries, branches, and localities. The Propaganda Department focuses on innovating and improving the quality and effectiveness of political theory work; strengthening the struggle to protect the Party's ideological foundation. The work of summarizing practices, researching theories; the work of compiling, propagating, and educating the Party's history and revolutionary traditions of the sector and localities continues to receive attention.

The entire sector proactively grasps the political and ideological situation and public opinion; innovates propaganda work, contributes to creating unity within the Party, social consensus, encourages people of all walks of life to compete in patriotism, gradually and successfully completes the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and resolutions of Party congresses at all levels; closely directs and improves the quality and effectiveness of press, publishing, cultural, artistic and foreign information activities.

The work of directing and orienting politics in press, publishing, culture and arts activities has many innovations, bringing about positive changes, contributing effectively to bringing the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws into life, reflecting a variety of situations in the country and localities. The Central Propaganda Department has proactively coordinated with functional agencies to organize many activities to improve the quality of press, publishing, culture and arts; paid attention to organizing political training and professional ethics for those working in press, publishing and culture; and proactively coordinated in handling organizations and individuals with violations of political and ideological orientation... The work of preserving and developing traditional cultural values ​​has been focused on by localities, linking traditional festival activities with attracting tourism and investment in socio-economic development.

In recent times, the Central Propaganda Department has continued to effectively propagate the Party and State's guidelines and policies to the outside world, helping the international community and the overseas Vietnamese community better understand Vietnam; coordinating with ministries and branches to monitor, urge, and inspect the implementation of resolutions and directives related to the fields of education and training, science, technology, environment, health, population, and social security. The sector has innovated the content and methods of propaganda work; and improved the knowledge, skills, and expertise of the propaganda team.

The propaganda work from the Central to the grassroots level has focused on directing the propaganda work to orient public opinion on "hot", prominent and pressing issues in society; fighting to correct distorted perceptions, refuting the wrong views of hostile forces, protecting the Party's guidelines and major policies of the State. Emerging is the fight against the exploitation of democracy, human rights, and religion issues, inciting ethnic divisions, riots, denying the Party's leadership role, the path to socialism, fighting to prevent and combat corruption, waste, and negativity...

Speaking at the working session, on behalf of the Politburo and the Secretariat, the General Secretary sent his warmest regards, best wishes and best wishes to all cadres, party members, civil servants, public employees and propaganda workers across the country through the periods.

The General Secretary emphasized: As a Party staff, the Central Propaganda Department has a very important position and role in Party building and mass mobilization work, is an advisory body of the Central Executive Committee, directly and regularly the Politburo, the Secretariat in Party building work in politics, ideology, guidelines, viewpoints and policies of the Party in the fields of propaganda, political theory, press, publishing, literature and arts, science and education; at the same time is a specialized and professional agency for the Party's propaganda work.

Over the past 88 years, the Propaganda sector has made many important contributions to the cause of national liberation, protection and construction of the country. Over 30 years of innovation and international integration, the Propaganda sector has made new developments, contributing significantly to the important and historic achievements of the Party and our country. Since the 12th National Party Congress, in the context of new, rapid and complicated developments in the world, region and country, the Central Propaganda Department and the Propaganda sector nationwide have always thoroughly grasped and closely followed the Party's guiding thoughts, the work programs of the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, strived and achieved positive results, contributing significantly to the overall success of the country.

On behalf of the Politburo and the Secretariat, the General Secretary warmly welcomed, congratulated, commended and thanked the Central Propaganda Department, propaganda departments at all levels, comrades, and propaganda agencies from the Central to the grassroots levels for the results and achievements gained in the past time.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the opinions expressed at the meeting basically agreed with the report of the Central Propaganda Department, summarizing 7 achievements and results, pointing out 7 limitations and shortcomings and identifying 9 tasks that need to be focused on in the coming time. The opinions also made many recommendations to the Central Propaganda Department, expressing wishes, conveying the sentiments and demands of society for propaganda work.

The General Secretary pointed out: Since the beginning of the term, the overall situation of our country and our Party has been good, the atmosphere in society is excited and confident, many movements have become self-conscious and voluntary, and the people support and agree. Highlighting the country's achievements in the fields of politics, diplomacy, economics, culture, society, sports... The General Secretary emphasized: In general, over the past two and a half years, our country has continued to develop. This is the joint effort of the entire Party, the entire people, of all of us, including the Propaganda sector, directly the Central Propaganda Department.

However, the General Secretary reminded us not to be complacent or subjective, because there are still many challenges ahead. The General Secretary emphasized three major points. One is theoretical work, including theoretical research, theoretical education, and theoretical dissemination. This is a very basic and important issue that determines our political ideology orientation. Perhaps it has not received due attention and has not met the requirements despite great efforts. That is Marxist-Leninist theory - Ho Chi Minh thought, which guides our path forward. The important issue is to firmly adhere to the Party's ideal goals. The first task of the Central Propaganda Department and the Propaganda sector is to build the Party politically and ideologically.

Second, there have been many efforts in information and propaganda work, the press has developed very quickly, vigorously, richly, and effectively, but oral information and propaganda are still weak, dialogue, propaganda, and talks... are not lively or timely, and the guidance and orientation for the press and for literature and art are not strong. Of course, it does not replace professional expertise, this is ideological orientation. Especially the management of online newspapers and the Internet is still confusing and limited. We have tools but coordination is not good.

Third, the ideological struggle, criticizing and refuting the erroneous and reactionary viewpoints of hostile forces, despite great efforts, has not yet mobilized the combined strength to do this, and the effectiveness is not high. It is necessary to organize the struggle more systematically.

Agreeing with the 9 tasks set out by the Central Propaganda Department in the coming time, the General Secretary further emphasized: In the upcoming situation, besides the basic advantages, there are many complicated and unpredictable developments, especially in the conditions of developing a socialist-oriented market economy, its negative impacts are very terrible, penetrating right into thoughts and feelings, damaging people, degenerating, changing, losing cadres... We do not blame the market economy, but in that context and environment, it is very easy for corruption to arise. In today's context, we cannot help but integrate internationally, but the more deeply we integrate, besides the introduction of good aspects, there are also many negative aspects. Each country has its own characteristics, its own style, its own national traditions, so learning what, avoiding what, just importing without selection is also wrong, eventually losing the national cultural identity, no longer being Vietnamese. Those issues are related to propaganda work. Then the hostile forces fiercely oppose us, incite, divide, and isolate us. That is not to mention the terrible impacts of the 4.0 industrial revolution, with the strong development of technology and the internet, if we cannot manage it, we can easily become slaves to it. The positive side of science and technology is clearly seen by everyone and is very necessary, even must be taken full advantage of, but the negative side, if not clearly aware, bad, toxic information on the internet will infect us without us knowing, affecting our thoughts. As we know, the field of ideology is very sensitive. The tendency of public opinion is often to like strange, new, "sensational", seemingly "attractive" information, and not always listen to official information.

The General Secretary emphasized that the Propaganda Department must do better in Party building in terms of politics and ideology. That is the ideological foundation, goal, ideal, steadfastness in Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, steadfastness on the path taken, absolutely no wavering or ambiguity. For a long time, we have been fighting against corruption, waste, negativity, talking a lot about damage and loss of cadres... but what is the key? That is for all of us to be steadfast on the path to a rich people, a strong country, a democratic, fair and civilized society. Uncle Ho said very simple sentences, but they are extremely profound. The revolution is to make our country completely independent, our people completely free, everyone has food to eat, clothes to wear, everyone can study. The goal and ideal are simple like that but extremely profound and still have value today!

How to make a revolution? Uncle Ho said that first of all, there must be a revolutionary Party, to mobilize the people internally, and to connect with the proletariat and working class everywhere. To mobilize and organize the people, what must the Party be like? According to Uncle Ho, the Party must include the most outstanding, steadfast, enlightened, and knowledgeable people. The Party is the force leading the revolution, the offspring of the nation, and the servant of the people. The Party must take ideology as its core. Everyone in the Party must study and understand that ideology. A Party without an ideology as its core is like a person without intelligence or a ship without a compass. So what is that ideology? Uncle Ho said that now there are many ideologies and doctrines, but the most genuine and revolutionary ideology is Leninism. Therefore, the ideological foundation in the Party, the goals, ideals, class nature, and character of the Party and the State must be very permeable and must not be deviated. Saying so does not mean that we are dogmatic and conservative, but must apply creatively, supplement and develop. K. Marx said, our doctrine is not a dogma, but a compass for action; future generations must supplement and develop it.

So, here, the ideological method itself must be dialectical. It must never deviate to any side. Nowadays, there is a rather common disease of being extreme, not dialectical, not objective, and speaking only one way is bad. Always think of both sides of an issue. This ideological method is required for all cadres, especially cadres doing propaganda work. One must have the right ideological method to speak convincingly.

As has been said many times, there is a lot of knowledge, learning is endless, "learning, learning more, learning forever", but knowledge can be forgotten, what remains is the ideological method. The ideological method is a dialectical method - objective, concrete, comprehensive and developing; it must always be placed in a specific environment to perceive the problem. The General Secretary wishes that our ideological work must fully reveal, instill in cadres, party members, and people a steadfastness, an ideological method, a direction so as not to deviate. Each branch of the army does ideological and propaganda work in its own way, but this is the common goal to aim for. The General Secretary emphasized that the work of theoretical research, theoretical education, and dissemination of the Party's political theory and viewpoints is the number one function and task of the Central Propaganda Department and the Propaganda sector: That is to build the Party politically and ideologically. Only if the Party is strong will the revolution succeed. Only if cadres and party members are steadfast will the people follow and believe.

At the same time, we must do a good job of information work, building solidarity within the Party and consensus among the people. This is a great responsibility of ideological work. On the basis of goals, ideals, and correct political lines, propaganda work must use all means, all forces, and all methods to build solidarity and unity within the entire Party and consensus among the people. In other words, we must grasp the thoughts, moods, and feelings of the masses in order to promptly explain. In particular, we must understand, share, and bring ideas to the people in a smooth way, so that people can see, do, and act for themselves - this is a very high requirement and demand. Therefore, we must do a good job of information, propaganda, and ideological education in a correct way; do not do anything to confuse or waver cadres, party members, and people, from the way of reporting, commenting, to the way of orientation. The military branches doing ideological work must aim at this goal. As Uncle Ho taught: Unity, unity, great unity / Success, success, great success. We must grasp the thoughts, feelings, and moods of the people in order to promptly and convincingly explain. Is the information provided accurate? Is it really the thoughts of the people? Who reflects it?... There must be selection and analysis.

The General Secretary reminded that we must further intensify the ideological struggle, refute the wrong and reactionary views of the bad and hostile forces, and firmly protect the revolutionary line, views, and nature of our Party. The bad and hostile forces use all means and tricks, and launch all kinds of tricks to sabotage us. Recently, the Propaganda Department has made great efforts, established several steering committees, and our comrades have devoted all their efforts to doing so. How to speak convincingly is an extremely difficult problem, but it is inevitable. Therefore, we must combine building and opposing, opposing and building, for the set goals and ideals.

In the current conditions of market economic development, opening up, integration, diversification, multilateralization, and the 4.0 industrial revolution, we are in contact with many subjects, information warfare, cyber warfare, and are subject to multi-dimensional impacts from many ideological trends, and are methodically sabotaged, hitting the psychology of the people, so we need to grasp the thoughts, feelings, and moods of the people, and know what the people need.

To do the above tasks, the General Secretary pointed out: We must have people, we must have an organization, we must build a team of people doing propaganda work, very brave, resilient, intelligent, working in an artistic way, with a scientific method of operation, there must be smooth coordination between agencies. The Central Propaganda Department needs to pay attention to training and fostering a team of propaganda cadres to meet the requirements in the current new situation; absolutely loyal, steadfast, steadfast, knowing how to organize work, having the courage to fight, having enough qualifications, expertise, and skills, must be able to say, do, and convince, not to be bribed by evil, hostile forces. The method must be democratic, sincere, cannot be forced, imposed, or ordered; must be very subtle, reaching people's hearts. Saying so is not to "leave it all to" the Central Propaganda Department and Propaganda Departments at all levels, but Party committees and authorities at all levels must have the responsibility to lead, direct, and create all conditions for the Propaganda sector to successfully complete all tasks./.