HÀ NỘI– Vietnam News Agency in general and Việt Nam News in particular need to continue to renew news reporting and management methods, improve quality and accomplish the missions assigned by the Party and the State, making contributions to maintaining peace and stability, and fostering international integration while realising the 12th Party Resolution.

Uông Chu Lưu, National Assembly Vice Chairman made the statement while attending the 25^th anniversary celebrations on June 17, 2016, of Việt Nam News, the first and only English language daily in Việt Nam.

On this date, 25 years ago, the Vietnam News Agency published its first edition of Việt Nam News, with four black-and-white printed pages. The number of pages was later increased to eight, and there are currently 28 coloured, printed pages.

Seven years later, in 1998, the online version, Việt Nam News Online, was launched, marking a new development for the newspaper in the digital age.

Terry Hartney, a veteran Australian journalist, who has followed Việt Nam News’ progress for more than 20 years, said, “In the journalism systems of the world and the region, Việt Nam News is always considered the voice of Việt Nam on diplomacy, business, economic development and social issues that reflect the country’s non-stop movement.”

With the weekly Sunday Việt Nam News, launched in 1992; monthly Outlook magazine, offered from 2004 to 2015; and online financial and business hub bizhub.vn, launched in 2012, Việt Nam News has provided detailed information from different angles and in-depth, comprehensive analyses of major issues in the country’s development process.

Australian Ambassador to Việt Nam HE Hugh Borrowman said, “As an expatriate living in Việt Nam, I have found the Việt Nam News to be a most useful source of information, covering major political, socio-economic, cultural and business events in English and making news easily accessible for non-Vietnamese speakers. In particular, I welcome Việt Nam News’ efforts to share the perspectives of different people, from government officials to experts to ordinary people – and even ’Expat Corner,’ which shares stories of the work and lives of foreigners in Việt Nam.”

Camilla Bjelkas, cultural officer of the Swedish Embassy in Việt Nam, said, “I have a look in the Việt Nam News every morning when I arrive at the office. And as a cultural officer for the Swedish Embassy, the articles on different cultural events or personalities are important for me. It gives me a better understanding of the local culture and also provides ideas for possible collaborations. For me, this section could be much bigger and could include more interviews with contemporary artists, musicians, designers, etc., along with the more established material.

“So if I were to suggest some improvements, I would focus on what’s happening within the country, news that is hard for foreigners to find anywhere else if you don’t speak Vietnamese,” she said.

Nguyễn Lam Giang, HELVETAS director, said Việt Nam News’ information was carefully selected and covered the policies and viewpoints of Việt Nam’s professional agencies in the fastest and shortest ways, helping non-governmental organisations learn the facts about Việt Nam.

“It is the official source of information that leaders and officials of HELVETAS Việt Nam use in discussions with colleagues at our headquarters in Switzerland and to determine orientation and strategies for key projects in Việt Nam,” she said.

Việt Nam News Editor-in-Chief Trịnh Thanh Thủy said Việt Nam News was proud to have accomplished its mission as a newspaper providing external information services and having earned the trust of the Party, the State and the readers over the past 25 years.

 “In the coming period, besides maintaining the print edition, we at editorial will stay up to date on new trends in journalism and continue to be a reliable and comprehensive source of news on Việt Nam, bridging Việt Nam and the international community.

“The newspaper must produce more high quality and diversified news products of an international level to meet the increasingly high demand for news on Việt Nam in other nations within the context of global integration,” she highlighted.

Việt Nam News Agency aims to strengthen Việt Nam News’ position as the nation’s most influential English language daily, Nguyễn Đức Lợi, Party Central Committee member and the Việt Nam News Agency General Director said.

Phạm Văn Linh, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity and Education, affirmed that external information services in general, including from the external information service of Việt Nam News Agency, had made important contributions towards maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development; protecting national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity; and fostering and expanding friendly cooperation between Việt Nam and other countries, thus enhancing the nation’s international integration. - VNS