Deputy Prime Minister Mai Văn Chính (right) and General Director of the Lao News Agency (KPL) Vannasin Simmavong meet in Hà Nội on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Mai Văn Chính has urged the Lao News Agency (KPL) and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) to build on past achievements and effectively carry out their cooperation agreement in the new period, emphasising personnel training, professional development, and innovation in journalism technology.

During a meeting with visiting KPL General Director Vannasin Simmavong on Thursday, the Deputy PM praised the outcomes of cooperation in information and communications between the two countries.

He highlighted the VNA’s support for KPL in technical assistance, personnel training, and the establishment and operation of an information website for Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship Year, a vivid testament to the close and effective cooperation between the two national news agencies.

Deputy PM Chính stressed that VNA and KPL serve not only as communication bridges between the two Parties, States, and peoples but also as key forces in strengthening and promoting the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Việt Nam and Laos. He urged the two agencies to enhance the dissemination of accurate and timely information, deepen mutual understanding, strengthen trust, and counter false and hostile narratives.

Vannasin Simmavong briefed the Deputy PM on the outcomes of the talks between KPL and VNA and expressed deep gratitude for Việt Nam’s consistent support for Laos, particularly the VNA’s assistance in KPL’s establishment on January 6, 1968, and its continued growth since.

Earlier the same day, delegations from VNA and KPL, led respectively by General Director Vũ Việt Trang and her counterpart Vannasin Simmavong, held talks to review their cooperation for 2022-25 and signed a professional cooperation agreement for 2026-30.

Trang noted the outcomes of bilateral cooperation under the 2022-25 agreement. She said the two agencies have maintained a steady flow of daily news and photos, with reciprocal access to each other’s platforms.

In the field of journalism and publishing, KPL assists VNA in distributing one thousand out of the one thousand four hundred monthly copies of Vietnam Pictorial in Laos, helping the external information publication reach readers across multiple provinces and cities of the neighbouring country. KPL also provides the VNA bureau in Vientiane with complimentary copies of the Pathet Laos daily newspaper.

The two agencies have jointly organised many photo exhibitions to mark major political and diplomatic events, notably a recent display highlighting the spirit of solidarity and cooperation between the two countries during President Lương Cường’s state visit to Vientiane in April.

In technical cooperation, VNA has supported KPL in upgrading its website system, developing a dedicated ASEAN information page, and dispatching experts to assist with cybersecurity incident response. In addition, with coordination from the VNA bureau in Vientiane, Unitel has provided free internet service to KPL since 2022.

Regarding training and professional development, the two sides have maintained regular exchanges, sending reporters and technicians to participate in joint training courses.

Trang suggested that the two agencies continue to exchange and share information across platforms, jointly report on major national events such as Party congresses and parliamentary elections, and collaborate in verifying and addressing misinformation. She called on KPL to further facilitate VNA correspondents’ reporting activities in Laos.

The two agencies will strengthen joint publishing, co-organise photo exhibitions and document displays on important anniversaries and diplomatic occasions, and intensify staff training, particularly in journalism, photography, archiving, and technology. They will continue to support each other in technical aspects, upgrade infrastructure and professional equipment, and maintain the free internet connection provided by Unitel.

At the same time, the two sides will continue their annual high-level delegation exchanges, working visits, and professional exchanges. They agreed to uphold a close coordination mechanism and maintain regular communication channels between their leaders and professional units to ensure the effective implementation of cooperation contents in the new phase.

KPL General Director Vannasin Simmavong proposed that, in the new period, both sides focus on cooperation in personnel training and capacity building for reporters, organising professional workshops, accelerating digital transformation, and enhancing the application of information technology in journalism to improve news quality and communication effectiveness.

The KPL delegation paid a working visit to Nghệ An Province on Monday and Tuesday. — VNS