Leaders of the Vietnam News Agency and the National Associated Press Agency of Italy at the signing ceremony held in Hà Nội on Monday. VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the National Associated Press Agency of Italy (ANSA) signed a professional cooperation agreement at a ceremony held online in Hà Nội on Monday.

The document was inked by VNA General Director Vũ Việt Trang and CEO of ANSA Stefano De Alessandri.

In her remarks, Trang congratulated this new development step in the cooperation between the two news agencies.

In 2010, leaders of VNA and ANSA signed the first cooperation agreement, she said, noting that the deal created a platform for the two agencies to officially exchange information, introduce potential and strengths of their respective countries, strengthen the connectivity and exchange between people of the two nations, contributing to promoting the ties between Việt Nam and Italy.

"In the context of the world facing epidemics, natural disasters, conflicts as well as fake news, news agencies all need to reform and address challenges relating to resources, in order to be able to respond to fast-evolving information demand," Trang stressed.

Therefore, the enhancement of cooperation between news agencies would help to share common difficulties, which is also the objective in the VNA-ANSA cooperation agreement, she continued.

“On the basis of the agreed contents, our two agencies will have a firm foundation to better implement cooperation activities such as exchanging information, with a focus on multimedia information products; supporting on-duty reporters; or sharing experience through professional exchange activities and fact-finding tours,” Trang said.

Briefing the participants on VNA’s operations, she said the agency was stepping up multimedia information products, and was introducing its information products on all internet platforms.

The agency was also gradually applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in information production to reduce human resources and costs, while creating data journalism products from its abundant archives built up over nearly eight decades.

VNA has sent its correspondents to Rome since 2004 with the aim of delivering comprehensive coverage about the situation in Italy, the Vatican and Southern Europe, according to the General Director.

“We believe that through the information bridge, VNA and ANSA will continue to actively contribute to promoting the bilateral relations between Việt Nam and Italy across all fields, from politics-diplomacy to economy, science-education, national defence-security, environmental protection and connectivity between localities,” she said.

Trang also expressed her belief that the cooperation between the two news agencies would help further tighten the sentiments and close bonds between Vietnamese and Italian people.

On the basis of the cooperation agreement, the two agencies would organise practical activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Italy this year, she said.

For his part, Alessandri introduced ANSA, established in 1945, as the biggest news agency in Italy, which produces more than 3,700 pieces of news in six languages daily and in diverse forms.

ANSA had sent 500 correspondents to more than 80 countries worldwide, he added.

Alessandri noted his delight at the signing of the cooperation agreement given the spread of fake news, and affirmed that the document would create a foundation for the expansion of collaboration in trade, technology and AI and blockchain applications between the two news agencies.

The agreement would also actively contribute to promoting the relations between the two countries, he stressed. — VNS