The Decision of the Prime Minister approving the project "Improving the effectiveness of external information affairs of Vietnamese representative missions abroad to 2030"

On 14/7/2022, the Prime Minister issued the Decision No. 837/QD-TTg approving the project "Improving the effectiveness of the external information affairs of Vietnamese representative missions abroad to 2030”.

According to the Decision, the point of view on the development of the Project, specifically:

- To adhere to the guidelines, strategies, policies and guiding viewpoints of the Party and State on external information affairs that is "a very important part of propaganda and the ideology of the Party; under the leadership of the Party, the management of the State; as a regular and long-term task of the whole political system, in which the specialized force is the core". Accordingly, there should be "a rhythmic and close coordination between internal and external information, among the Party's foreign affairs, the State's diplomacy and the people's foreign affairs in external information activities"; on the basis of "strongly renovating the content and form of information, diversifying the methods of external information operation, well implementing the motto of accuracy, timeliness, vividness, suitable for each object".

- To adhere to the viewpoints, mottos, goals and contents of the draft of the Strategy for External Information to 2030, with a vision to 2045 of the Steering Committee for the External Information Affairs to submit to the Politburo.

- As part of the unified whole of the formulation and implementation of guidelines and policies of the Party and the State on foreign affairs in general and external information in particular with 03 key tasks as follows: (i) Actively propagating about guidelines and policies of the Party and State and the development achievements of Vietnam; (ii) Actively and resolutely struggling with hostile forces, especially on the issues of democracy, human rights and religion to protect the image of the country; (iii) Inheriting and promoting the fine tradition and diplomatic identity of Vietnam, meeting foreign affairs requirements in the digital era, in line with the strength and position of a middle-class country, effectively contributing to the successful implementation of the foreign policy of the 13th Congress, contributing to the realization of the nation's aspirations.

- To affirm the important role of representative agencies as the frontline force in the field of external information in foreign areas, transmit domestic information to international friends and the Vietnamese community in foreign countries; absorb the cultural quintessence and development experience of other countries, effectively serve the construction and defense of the Fatherland; focus on the role of heads of representative agencies.

- To ensure continuous information, promote the external information affairs of representative agencies in all aspects; strengthen the participation, support and close coordination of ministries, branches, localities, domestic press agencies with representative agencies, bring into full play the resident press agencies (Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, The Voice of Vietnam...), local media channels, information channels of the overseas Vietnamese community as well as making effective use of all social resources to improve the effectiveness of the country's external information activities in general and at Vietnamese representative missions abroad in particular.

- To make the most of the application of information technology; deploy digital communication, implement external information affairs through social networking platforms... in order to bring about the highest efficiency and spread.

The overall goals of the Project are as follows:

- To serve the advertisement and enhancement of Vietnam's image in the international arena, at the same time collecting selective information about the situation and development of the world and region, and the issues of interest by the public opinion and people in the country; fight against false views and distorting claims; create the consensus and support of all classes of people at home and abroad, the cooperation and support of international friends for the cause of national construction and defense.

- To create a change in awareness among agencies, ministries, branches, localities and businesses on the external information affairs of the representative agency, which can only do well when mobilizing the strength and support of the entire political system, in which the representative agency is the front-line unit in conducting the external information affairs in foreign countries.

- To consolidate regular and continuous relationships with the groups that need enlisting abroad who already know about Vietnam, as well as prioritizing the relationship building and creating sympathy from subjects such as the press, the youth, overseas Vietnamese community...

- To deploy digital transformation, create strong changes in the content and methods of external information affairs of the representative agency.

In addition, the Decision also provides groups of tasks and solutions; the funding and the implementation of the Project.

Source: Hoang Ha