Consider using social media for external communications

Current foreign propaganda activities are still formal. New forms of propaganda need to be found. The Ministry of Information and Communications is considering the issue of building and using social networks in foreign information work.

That was the sharing of Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan at the press conference on the afternoon of November 2, 2015 introducing Decree 72 of the Government on management of information technology activities.

Responding to a reporter's question about the key tasks that need to be implemented after Decree 72 is issued and officially takes effect, Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan said: "There are a series of tasks that need to be done to put Decree 72 into practice and to implement the contents of the Decree. One of the key tasks is to promote propaganda, making everyone, especially the agencies responsible for information technology activities, understand the contents of the Decree. Then, based on the functions and tasks of each ministry, branch, and locality, a plan must be developed to implement the Decree.

As for the Ministry of Information and Communications, in the immediate future, the Ministry will have to develop circulars and guiding documents to implement the Decree, and then develop plans to implement the Decree. This is a very difficult and heavy task in the coming time.

In addition, functional agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Steering Committee for Information and Communications, Ministry of Planning and Investment... must also develop policies, mechanisms, projects to promote the image of the country, people and culture of Vietnam to the outside world.

Illustration photo. Source: Internet.

Sharing his comments on the work of foreign propaganda in recent times, Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan commented: “Currently, we are conducting foreign propaganda activities in a very formal manner, with old forms of propaganda. Now we have to find new forms of propaganda. We are considering the issue of building and using social networks in foreign propaganda work.”

Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan also emphasized the importance of building databases to serve the work of propaganda: “To propagate Vietnam's human rights achievements, we must have complete databases, only then can we do propaganda work well. Propaganda is not just telling people to listen but telling them to convince them. The persuasiveness of propaganda must be high. To do that, the databases must be scientific and highly convincing.”

Regarding the role of press agencies in implementing Decree 72 on management of information technology activities, Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan hopes that press agencies will build specialized pages and columns on information technology propaganda, especially electronic newspapers, television and radio newspapers.

“We need to promote the image of Vietnam, its country and its people abroad in many different languages ​​to help people in other countries understand the image, country, culture and people of Vietnam. At the same time, help foreigners living and working in Vietnam and overseas Vietnamese also understand these issues. Each permanent agency, each reporter and journalist needs to be a soldier in this field,” Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan further emphasized.

According to Infonet