It is necessary to continue renewing the content of external information dissemination, whilst persifying the forms of propaganda to enhance the efficiency of external information service work.

The requirement was made by Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission, Vo Van Thuong, at a conference, held in Hanoi on August 2^nd, to review the five-year implementation of Conclusion No. 16 by the Politburo (11^th tenure) and Directive No. 26 by the Secretariat (10^th tenure) on external information work.

Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission, Vo Van Thuong, address the conference. (Credit: VNA)

Hosted by the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission and the Central Steering Committee for External Information, the event gathered nearly 500 delegates from the relevant ministries, agencies and localities, as well as socio-political organisations and press agencies from across the nation.

As a crucial part in information dissemination, the Party and the State pay regular attention to external information. On September 10^th, 2008, the Secretariat issued Directive No. 26-CT/TW on “Continuing the renovation and enhancement of external information in the new period.”

Then on February 14^th, 2012, the 11th Politburo issued Conclusion No.16-KL/TW on the "Strategy for external information development during 2011-2020." This is the first strategy in the field of external information, which is an important basis for all departments, ministries and localities in carrying out comprehensive and effective external information activities.

Deputy Head of the Central Information and Education Commission, Pham Van Linh, said that after five years of implementing the Party’s documents, the forces engaged in external information work have made great efforts to fulfill their tasks, entrusted to them by the Party and the State, with remarkable results.

Accordingly, the perception of Party committees, authorities and people from different levels of external information work has been improved, while the system of specialised agencies has been strengthened, in conjunction with the drafting of improved legal documents.

External information activities at different domestic agencies, in addition to Vietnamese representative offices in foreign countries, have been organised more effectively, with renewed content, modes of providing information and expanded objects and geographical areas. Many policies, major events and Vietnam's views on regional and international issues, as well as the image of the country, people, history and culture of the nation and Vietnam's achievements in the Doi Moi (renewal) process have been provided in a timely fashion, creating initiatives on the information and communication front.

Information in foreign languages has been enhanced, with related information on Vietnam's human rights record, its active and proactive participation in the U.N.’s activities on human rights and information on matters relating to religion, ethnic affairs, democracy, human rights and the protection of Vietnamese citizens, have also been provided, thereby actively preventing and fighting against false news.

However, there remain numerous shortcomings and limitations, for example, the perception of external information is still incomplete and has not yet promoted the synergy of the whole political system in the implementation of external information activities.

In addition, the forms of dissemination are not suitable for many objects; while the combination of external information, with internal information and the external activities of the Party, State diplomacy, people's external relations, as well as between the central and local agencies and between domestic localities and foreign countries, is still asynchronous; in addition to not effectively utilising hi-technologies and modern media.

At the conference, held in Hanoi on August 2^nd, reviewing the five-year implementation of Conclusion No. 16 by the Politburo (11^th tenure) and Directive No. 26 by the Secretariat (10^th tenure) on external information work. (Source: Tien Phong)

According to Politburo Vo Van Thuong, in the near future, the global and regional situation will continue to progress in a complicated and unpredictable manner. He noted that external information forces need to be active, flexible and creative in advising, organising and implementing specific tasks, focusing on thoroughly raising the awareness of Party committees, authorities and people, with regards to the position and role of external information work in the present period; continuously improving steering mechanisms and active coordination between agencies, units and localities; and ensuring uniformity and effective performance of tasks on external information.

The senior Party official, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee for External Information, stated that it is necessary to continue renewing the content of external information dissemination and improve its effectiveness, under the motto of "accurate, timely, flexible and suitable for each subject;" while attaching importance to the work of studying, grasping and forecasting the international and regional situation as a basis for directing external information work.

He suggested promoting the role of major news agencies and the representative offices of Vietnam abroad; developing information channels in foreign languages; using new media, especially social networks, for the purpose of external information dissemination in a timely and effective manner; and improving the effectiveness of the struggle against false allegations and misrepresentation of hostile forces.

He added that it is necessary to do a respectable job of inspecting, supervising and accelerating the implementation of information and communication tasks at agencies, units and localities, while paying attention to training and fostering professional skills for the staff of external information work at the central and local levels.

At the conference, the Central Commission for Information and Education awarded certificates of merit to eight collectives and six inpiduals who have recorded outstanding achievements in the implementation of external information work during the 2011-2020 period./.

VNF/NDO