An overview of the working session. — VNA/VNS Photo Tâm Hằng

MOSCOW — Coordination in the information work with foreign partners is particularly important, especially as Việt Nam is preparing for its most significant political event next year – the 14th National Party Congress, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Đặng Minh Khôi stressed at a working session with the director general and other leaders of the Russian international media group Rossiya Segodnya on Thursday (local time).

Khôi noted that the two countries' relations have entered a new phase of dynamic and diversified development. Bilateral trade turnover is expected to grow strongly as Việt Nam resumes its nuclear power project while cooperation in human resources training and tourism has also reached new heights.

The ambassador also highlighted that Russia currently hosts resident bureaus of four of Việt Nam’s largest national media agencies: the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the Voice of Vietnam (VOV), the Vietnam Television (VTV), and Nhân dân (People) Newspaper.

VNA General Director Vũ Việt Trang had the honour of being the first international journalist to ask a question to President Vladimir Putin at a meeting between the Russian leader and heads of global news agencies in June this year, the diplomat recalled. This underscored the importance of accurate information flows from Russia to Việt Nam and vice versa, especially in the current geopolitical context, Khôi said.

However, compared with the traditional friendship between the two countries, information about Việt Nam in Russia has yet to fully reflect the deep affection and respect shown by the Russian side. The ambassador said this remains a concern for him and hoped to improve the situation through closer cooperation with Russia’s mainstream media outlets.

In response, Rossiya Segodnya Director General Dmitry Kiselev affirmed that Vietnamese readers account for a significant share of the overall audience of the group, particularly for Sputnik, with more than 52 million views recorded this year.

Rossiya Segodnya has signed cooperation agreements with the VNA and VOV, Kiselev noted, adding that this model has proven effective and could be expanded both in scope and geographically.

Each year, young VNA journalists have opportunities to attend professional training courses organised by Rossiya Segodnya. Kiselev suggested that this model could be expanded into regular reporter exchanges, enabling journalists from both sides to gain hands-on reporting experience in each other’s countries.

In addition, the two sides could co-produce programmes for audiences in both countries. Rossiya Segodnya is particularly interested in covering visits by Việt Nam's high-ranking leaders to Russia and hopes to conduct priority, even exclusive, interviews ahead of such trips.

Stressing the critical importance of precise, truthful, sufficient, and objective information about the coming 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, which attracts great international attention, Khôi informed Rossiya Segodnya’s leadership that the VNA will serve as a primary source of information on the event and will provide content for Russian partners through its bureau in Russia upon request.

He also affirmed that Việt Nam’s diplomatic mission will be ready to support Rossiya Segodnya in its information activities. — VNA/VNS