Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Review Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dương Trung Ý (right) presents a souvenir to ANSA executive. Photo: tapchicongsan.org.vn

ROME — Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Review Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dương Trung Ý’s working trip to Italy from September 7-11 has been a success, elevating the journal’s profile while driving Việt Nam – Italy ties.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyễn Phương Anh briefed the delegation on Italy’s situation and the state of bilateral ties. She said two-way trade is on track to reach US$8 billion in 2026, with Vietnamese firms expanding partnerships with Italian counterparts in various areas including defence technology, economy, and trade.

The trip follows an April 2026 visit to Italy by National Assembly President Trần Thanh Mẫn that lifted diplomatic and legislative ties to a new level, with locality-to-locality cooperation also gaining traction and room for further growth, she said.

Ý praised the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy for advancing comprehensive bilateral cooperation through Party, State and people-to-people diplomacy.

He wished that the embassy, after more than 50 years of diplomatic ties and over a decade as strategic partners, would serve as an effective bridge to boost ties beyond traditional areas like economy, trade, investment and education. He pointed to fashion, digital economy, green energy and other sectors where Italy holds particular strength as new avenues to make the Việt Nam-Italy Strategic Partnership increasingly profound and effective.

On September 7, the Vietnamese delegation held a working session with Italy's news agency ANSA, a privately held group that works closely with the Italian Government to showcase the country's economy, people and culture; supply reliable information to officials, and exchange news with foreign agencies, including the Vietnam News Agency.

ANSA executives outlined their technical approach to combating fake news, saying that its reports are written and edited entirely by humans rather than generated by artificial intelligence (AI). They described AI as a supporting tool that can't replace journalists, saying its use is subject to editorial oversight and must comply with rules on independence, impartiality, objectivity, privacy, copyright and the law.

An ANSA representative said the agency avoids generative AI for producing images or video to protect visual authenticity, limiting the technology's use to translation.

Ý briefed ANSA on Việt Nam's development trajectory and outlined the role and tasks of the Communist Review, a political and theoretical publication of the Communist Party of Việt Nam's Central Committee.

He said he hopes the Communist Review and ANSA can cooperate to disseminate Việt Nam's country, culture and people through ANSA's media products, as well as personnel training and digital transformation.

On September 8, the delegation visited and held a working session with the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI).

IAI Director Marco Simoni discussed major international issues, EU-ASEAN and Việt Nam-Italy relations, and the institute's key research priorities.

Briefing the Italian side, Ý said Việt Nam-Italy relations are growing within the strategic partnership, and Việt Nam consistently pursues the foreign policy of peace, independence, self-reliance, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of external ties.

Amid a complex global and regional landscape, Ý said both sides need to sustain dialogue, consolidate political trust, respect international law and strongly back multilateralism.

According to him, the Communist Review and IAI have ample potential for collaboration, particularly in in-depth research and strategic forecasting on the current global landscape, giving policymakers reliable and important scientific evidence to deepen and enhance the effectiveness of the Việt Nam-Italy Strategic Partnership.

Later that day, the delegation held a working session with Andrea Iabozzi, Editor-in-Chief of the Italian newspaper il Manifesto.

After Iabozzi outlined il Manifesto's history and development, Ý congratulated the newspaper on its achievements and briefed him on the results of Việt Nam's Đổi Mới (Renewal) process, along with the Communist Review's role and publications.

Ý also fielded questions from Il Manifesto's reporters and editors on a range of topics, and wished the paper success in overcoming its challenges while preserving its identity and continuing to grow. — VNA/VNS