VNA General Director Vũ Việt Trang. — VNA/VNS Photo

As Việt Nam celebrates its 80th National Day, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) also marks its 80th Traditional Day, commemorating its founding on September 15, 1945. This milestone recalls an institution that has witnessed every pivotal moment in the nation’s modern history — from wars of resistance to years of rebuilding, the launch of Đổi Mới (Renewal) and Việt Nam’s emergence on the global stage.

On this landmark occasion, a Báo Tin Tức (News) newspaper reporter spoke with VNA General Director Vũ Việt Trang to reflect on the agency’s historical mission, its evolving role and the priorities set to define its future.

Looking back on VNA’s 80-year journey alongside the nation, what stands out to you most and what makes you proudest?

On September 15, 1945, just 13 days after President Hồ Chí Minh read the Declaration of Independence, the very first VNA bulletin went out – written in Vietnamese, English and French.

That moment was not simply the birth of a national news agency; it set VNA, from the very outset, in a pioneering role – carrying the voice of an independent and free Việt Nam across the nation and onto the global stage.

Since then, VNA has walked with the country through every chapter of its modern history. During the resistance wars against colonialism and imperialism, our journalists worked on the very frontlines, often in the most dangerous battlefields.

Nearly 260 of them gave their lives for the cause of information, and many more carried wounds for the rest of their lives. Some were poisoned by chemical agents, with consequences that still affect their children and grandchildren.

That collective sacrifice, as tragic as it was, remains one of the most powerful demonstrations of the courage and conviction of revolutionary journalists.

When the war was over, that same sense of duty guided the agency in peacetime. VNA consistently upheld its role as 'the official source of information of the Party and the State,' documenting the country’s achievements and the far-reaching reforms that began in 1986.

From those first three-language bulletins, we have become a multimedia institution publishing in more than ten languages. Today, with 34 domestic bureaus and 30 overseas offices, our network ensures that information flows smoothly across the country and that Việt Nam’s voice is heard abroad.

What I am proud of is not only our presence at diplomatic, economic and cultural forums but also the fact that our reporters are always at the sharp edge of social life.

They cover storms, floods and natural disasters. They stood alongside the country during the most difficult days of the pandemic. They are present in border regions and on islands where troops guard the nation day and night.

Wherever they are, they carry the same responsibility: to provide news that is quick, accurate and humane, to share in people’s hardships, to lift morale, and to affirm the strength of national solidarity.

These are the images that define VNA as both 'the secretary of the times' and 'pioneering soldiers on the information front.'

How do you see VNA’s role in digital transformation, especially with today’s fierce competition for information?

Our pioneering journey began in 1998, when VNA first connected to the internet – a step that opened the door to a series of innovations.

In 2008, we launched VietnamPlus – an online newspaper that created a space for mainstream multilingual news in the digital age. Since then, we have built data-driven reporting, developed infographics and adapted journalism for mobile platforms, keeping pace with the needs of a changing audience.

More recently, we have pushed forward with artificial intelligence (AI) and big data applications, producing interactive media products that reflect a news agency that is constantly renewing itself – one that is not only multimedia in name but genuinely so in practice.

The world around us has changed. The competition for information has never been more intense and speed itself has become a weapon. Unverified news slips into the mainstream; false or distorted stories spread like wildfire online. The dangers are real: threats to information security, to public trust and to political stability.

That is why the role of revolutionary journalism becomes even more essential. It is not just about distributing news; it is about being the bridge between the Party, the State and the People. It is about building consensus and reinforcing confidence, so that the nation can move forward together.

In this respect, VNA continues to hold a unique place: we are trusted as an official, objective and reliable source of news and through that we help protect the ideological foundation of the Party and preserve the people’s enduring trust in the leadership.

Looking ahead, what priorities will guide VNA to remain a pioneer on the information front?

Our future path is guided by the Party’s strategic vision. Take Resolution 57, for example, which emphasises breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation.

For VNA, this means strengthening modern technological infrastructure, promoting data journalism and harnessing AI to stay competitive in the information sphere.

Then there is Resolution 59, which focuses on international integration. This is an area where VNA has a long history – we already cooperate with more than forty respected news agencies worldwide, and we exchange information that makes our coverage richer, more accurate and more up to date, ensuring the story of Việt Nam is told abroad in a comprehensive and meaningful way.

In the years to come, it will be a decisive factor in strengthening VNA’s role as a bridge between Việt Nam and the world.

Resolution 66 addresses the renewal of law-making and law enforcement. This places us in a dual position: we are, of course, a media agency but also a channel that provides reference information, contributing to the improvement of institutions and governance, especially in the field of communications.

And finally, Resolution 68 highlights the development of the private economy. Here too we have a responsibility: to report promptly, accurately and objectively on the dynamism of this economy, which has become one of the most important drivers of Việt Nam’s growth.

By doing so, we accompany both the Government and the business community on the journey of integration.

When you place these resolutions together, the picture is clear. Fulfilling them is nothing less than fulfilling VNA’s historic mission: to be a pioneer on the information front, to safeguard the Party’s ideological foundation, to contribute to a strong legal environment, to project the national image abroad and to nurture the country’s inner strength.

It is a political duty, yes, but it is also a responsibility to history, to the people and to the nation’s future.

At this milestone, what message would you like to share with VNA’s reporters and editors, the people carrying this legacy forward?

In this digital age, information is both an opportunity and a challenge and VNA has transformed itself to face that dual reality.

The data journalism, infographics, mobile reporting and applications of AI – all of these are evidence that our agency is creative and able to keep pace with global trends.

The anniversary is not just a celebration; it is also a reminder: eighty years of tradition give us a proud legacy but it also sets a heavy responsibility for the present and the future.

VNA must prove worthy of that role. We have to sharpen our intellect, renew our methods and raise our profile so that we stand on equal terms with the leading agencies in the region and the world.

With unwavering trust in the Party, with a hunger for innovation and a determination to elevate its place on the international stage, VNA is stepping into the new era with a pioneering mindset.

We are determined to continue writing glorious chapters of our history – worthy of being a news agency three times honoured with the title of Hero, worthy of being a strategic source of national information, a bridge between the Party, the State and the People and a reliable voice of Việt Nam in the hearts of friends across the world. — VNS