Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (centre) visits the Việt Nam Journalists Association on Tuesday morning in Hà Nội. — NA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam Journalists Association needs to build a team of journalists, who are politically and economically sensitive, profound in science and technology, humanistic and professional to serve the nation and the people.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính made the order when he visited the Việt Nam Journalists Association on Tuesday morning on the occasion of the 98th anniversary of the Việt Nam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 – June 21, 2023).

He suggested that the association at all levels and press agencies create a cultural space in journalistic activities, thereby helping to correct deviations in professional ethics, promoting humanity in journalistic activities; protecting the legitimate interests of the association’s members in performing their duties, and strictly handle violations, especially taking advantage of the press to go against the goals and ideals of the Party as well as the policies and laws of the State.

“The press must accompany the nation and become a sharp weapon to protect the ideological foundation of the Party and the interests of the nation,” he said.

He requested the press promote and honour the nation's core values such as humanity; the great strength of national unity; the nation’s will and energy to face and overcome difficulties and challenges; and the creative potential of the people.

Along with that, the press has to strongly promote the movement of entrepreneurship, innovation, green economy development, digital economy and circular economy, contributing to building an independent, self-reliant economy associated with active integration into the world, he said.

The press needs to arouse the spirit of self-reliance, dare-to-think, dare-to-do to realise the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country, he said.

“The press should not avoid reporting negative issues, but it has to report the issues constructively, find ways to overcome to the issues in a humanitarian direction,” he added.

He told the association at all levels and the press agencies to focus on uncovering hot, sensitive and newly-emerging issues that are attracting public attention from both domestic and international; reflect vividly, multi-dimensionally, comprehensively, scientifically and deeply and propose solutions for each issue.

The press must take the lead in discovering and praising good people and good deeds, inspiring people; perform well the role of supervision and counter-argument; provide accurate, timely, truthful and transparent information; fight against wrong thoughts and actions, especially the deterioration in ideology, politics, morality and lifestyle; refute malicious and false information; actively participate in the prevention and fight against corruption, negativity and wastefulness, he said.

Also at the meeting, he said that association plays an important role in uniting, gathering, fostering professional skills, training professional ethics of journalists, and contributing to creating unity within the Party and consensus in society.

General Director of the Vietnam News Agency Vũ Việt Trang delivers her speech at the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

During 73 years of development (April 21, 1950 - April 21, 2023), the association has continuously developed in quantity and quality, making many worthy contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the people, he said.

He highly appreciated and warmly praised the important achievements and contributions of the association as well as journalists throughout the country over the past time, making an important contribution to the overall achievements of the country; especially, he expressed gratitude and shared with the families of journalists, who have sacrificed for the cause of national liberation, construction and defence of the country.

However, besides the achieved results, shortcomings have been still found, such as violations of the law, and violations of professional ethics of some press agencies and journalists; some newspapers report too much news related to violence and report news that lacks education and humanity.

He also shared the difficulties and challenges that the associations, press agencies and journalists across the country are facing, especially the decrease in revenue and income and fierce competition with cross-border platforms and social networks.

On the occasion of Việt Nam Revolutionary Press Day, on behalf of the leaders of the Party and State, Chính sends the best wishes to journalists across the country and wants the journalists to have more high-quality journalistic works, contributing to the construction and defence of the country, worthy of the trust and love of the Party, State and people.

Chairman of the Việt Nam Journalists Association Lê Quốc Minh delivers his speech at the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Việt Nam Journalists Association Lê Quốc Minh said generations of officials and members of the association and journalists throughout the country have always united, strived to overcome difficulties, constantly grown, always accompanied by the revolutionary cause of the Party, the country and the nation over the past 73 years.

In all circumstances, journalists always actively disseminate the Party's guidelines, the State's policies and laws; mobilise and encourage the entire Party, people and army in the struggles for independence and freedom of the nation; actively participate in the construction of the Party and a clean and strong political system, fight against corruption and negativity; refute distorted views and statements of hostile forces and protect the ideological foundation of the Party; consolidate and strengthen the great national unity bloc.

Participants at the meeting also reflect difficulties in the association's work and press activities such as brain drain, lack of human resources and financial difficulties with the Prime Minister. — VNS