Distinguished readers,

On June 17, 1991, the very first issue of Việt Nam News was officially published. With only four black-and-white pages, the newspaper carried a great aspiration: to tell the story of Việt Nam in the language of the world.

The newspaper’s first generations of staff embarked on that journey almost from scratch, with outdated typewriters and limited working conditions. They were a team of young reporters and editors who shared a common belief and mission: to help the world better understand Việt Nam and support the country on its path of development.

Throughout its 35-year journey, despite numerous difficulties and challenges, Việt Nam News has remained steadfast in its mission, providing the international community with timely, objective and vivid coverage of the country’s major events in all fields, including politics, socio-economic affairs, security, national defence, diplomacy, culture and sports.

To this day, Việt Nam News remains the first and only English-language daily in Việt Nam. Every morning, it is delivered to diplomatic missions, international organisations and foreign businesses across the country. The newspaper is also present at the country’s major external relations events, most recently the 2026 ASEAN Future Forum, as well as in major cities frequented by international tourists and on flights operated by Vietnamese airlines.

Thanks to its tireless efforts in external information work, in 2017 and again in 2021, the print edition of Việt Nam News and two other publications from the Vietnam News Agency were designated by the Prime Minister for development into national external information newspapers with regional and international influence.

To achieve the above accomplishments and recognition, reporters and editors of Việt Nam News have constantly exerted effort, strengthening their political mettle, accumulating experience and working with perseverance and creativity. Many of them have won national-level press awards and Vietnam News Agency press awards. Equipped with strong English proficiency and professional journalistic skills, Việt Nam News reporters have come and covered events in many parts of the world, leaving a positive impression on international colleagues.

In particular, in the era of digital transformation, Việt Nam News has continuously renewed itself. From a traditional printed newspaper, we have developed a wide range of multimedia products, including videos, long-form stories and infographics. We have also built a digital platform with millions of online views each month from more than 200 countries and territories, alongside hundreds of thousands of followers across social media platforms. In addition to journalistic activities, the newspaper has expanded into other initiatives, such as organising seminars and talk shows, creating innovative media products, and providing professional training in journalism.

The achievements of Việt Nam News did not come about by chance. Behind every page of the newspaper lie immense dedication, intellect, countless sleepless nights, and working trips filled with hardship and, at times, danger.

In a world undergoing profound changes under the impact of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, multi-platform and multimedia communication, as well as significant shifts in media consumption habits, the press is facing unprecedented challenges. However, we believe that within every challenge lie opportunities for renewal and development.

Following the consolidation of Việt Nam News newspaper and Vietnam Law and Legal Forum magazine in April 2025 to form Việt Nam News and Law, the newspaper has entered a new stage of development, with new momentum, new responsibilities and new resolve.

In the coming time, Việt Nam News and Law will focus on implementing several major tasks.

First, we will focus on improving the quality of informative content, strengthening in-depth analyses and expert interviews on the Party’s guidelines and resolutions and the State’s policies and laws. We will also develop more event-driven thematic publications to intensify the promotion of the image, culture and people of Việt Nam.

Second, we will pursue comprehensive digital transformation. This includes building a multi-platform converged newsroom, prioritising the development of multimedia products to help information spread more widely, and investing in technology to support content production and distribution while improving the reader experience.

Third, we will focus on workforce development by training a young generation of reporters with firm political mettle, excellent foreign language skills and professional competence, who are well versed in modern journalistic skills and who are dynamic, creative, and fully dedicated to the newspaper, while fostering a disciplined, united and professional working environment.

Fourth, we will expand our reach and influence in order to enhance our regional and international prestige and the effectiveness of communication by building a loyal readership, not only in Việt Nam but also among overseas Vietnamese communities and international audiences expressing interest in the country, while strengthening cooperation with reputable press organisations around the world.

With these orientations, we believe that Việt Nam News and Law will overcome all difficulties and challenges. We will continue to grow, firmly maintain our position as the leading English-language newspaper in Việt Nam.

Thank you very much!

Nguyen Minh

Editor-in-chief