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| Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh__Photo: VNA |
As the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) marks its 80th anniversary on September 15, 2025, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh has highlighted its role in the country’s revolutionary press system and in external communication efforts.
Speaking to VNA correspondents in Beijing, Ambassador Binh said that over eight decades of development, the agency has properly performed its role as a key press agency providing strategic source information and accompanying the country in every historical milestone.
During the resistance wars, VNA journalists were present on the frontlines, capturing images and recording stories of soldiers and civilians who fought bravely under the harshest conditions. Many of those photos and news bulletins have since become invaluable historical witnesses, evoking powerful emotions for generations.
When peace was restored, he noted, the VNA has quickly adapted to new challenges. Though the bombs ceased, the “information battlefield” remains intense as Vietnam embarked on its renewal process and deeper international integration. The agency’s reports have honestly reflected the country’s reconstruction efforts, improvements in people’s lives, and the safeguarding of sovereignty while also helping promote Vietnam’s image abroad.
During the century-long history of Vietnam’s revolutionary press, the VNA has stood as one of the vanguard forces on the ideological and cultural front, playing the core role in providing official information, strengthening social consensus, and enhancing the nation’s reputation in the international arena.
According to the diplomat, the VNA today has continuously developed and truly matured, deserving its status as the national news agency and a leading multimedia organization. It not only performs the communication tasks assigned by the Party and State but also meets the diverse information needs of media outlets and the general public at home and abroad, staying ready to accompany the country in the new era.
Assessing its contributions to Vietnam’s external communications, he said that in recent years, the country has obtained major diplomatic achievements described by high-ranking leaders as “bright spots” with historic significance. These successes were supported by strong external communications, in which the VNA, as the national news agency and a multimedia, multi-platform, and multi-language media organization, has played an essential role.
As Vietnam’s key press agency for foreign service, the VNA has established the largest overseas bureau network among Vietnam's media organizations, with 30 permanent offices across the five continents. This global presence not only supplies valuable information for domestic outlets but also serves as a channel to deliver Vietnam’s official information and messages to the international community.
Through dozens of information products and platforms in multiple languages, the VNA has effectively introduced the image of Vietnam as a peaceful, stable, and dynamic country. It has also acted as a communication bridge fostering mutual understanding between Vietnam and the world, and connecting overseas Vietnamese communities with their homeland.
One of the VNA’s strengths, Ambassador Binh noted, lies in its network of correspondents who are deeply knowledgeable about the areas they cover. They maintain links with experts and scholars while monitoring local public opinions on Vietnam and its foreign relations, thereby providing valuable insights that help inform the country’s foreign policy planning.- (VNA/VLLF)
