External information work and dissemination of information on sea, islands, border demarcation and landmark planting must be stepped up in 2017, focusing on the Party and State’s guidelines and foreign policies. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — External information work and dissemination of information on sea, islands, border demarcation and landmark planting must be stepped up in 2017, focusing on the Party and State’s guidelines and foreign policies, said Phạm Văn Linh, deputy head of Central Committee’s Commission for Communication and Education.

He made the statement at a conference reviewing external information work and dissemination of information on sea, islands, border demarcation and landmark planting of 2016 in Hà Nội on Wednesday, which featured more than 600 participants.

Linh lauded sectors, localities and units for their efforts in the work, making contributions to creating a peaceful, stable environment for national growth.

Võ Văn Phuông, deputy head of Central Committee’s Commission for Communication and Education and deputy head of the Central Steering Committee for External Information Service said that 2016 was the first year the resolution of the 12th National Party Congress was implemented.

In complicated global and regional situations, Việt Nam’s international news service and dissemination of information on sea, islands, border demarcation and landmark planting produced results.

The service disseminated the Communist Party’s guidelines, State policies and laws, results of the nation’s đổi mới (renewal) process and promoted the image of Việt Nam.

It also raised awareness, responsibilities, trust and support of public and overseas Vietnamese in Party leadership and Government solutions in addressing the nation’s problems.

The work has helped reject incorrect information by hostile forces, thus increasing support from the international community and overseas Vietnamese, and aiding socio-economic development, stabilising national politics, security, sovereignty and independence.

Besides achievements, the report from Central Committee’s Commission for Communication and Education pointed out shortcomings.

For example, external information work and dissemination on sea, islands, border demarcation and landmark planting had yet to mobilise the full power of the political system. Co-operation mechanisms between central and provincial agencies were sometimes unsynchronised.

According to Phạm Văn Linh, in 2017, Việt Nam expects to face both opportunities and challenges. Global and regional situations and East Sea developments are difficult to predict.

In this context, he urged comprehensive collaboration of dissemination forces while diversifying contents, forms and language of the dissemination.

Strengthening the fight against incorrect and distorted information by hostile forces is a must, he said.

He also called to intensify the dissemination of Việt Nam’s desire to address East Sea issues through peaceful solutions, based on respect for international laws.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Hoàng Vĩnh Bảo said that the ministry was working with agencies to consult with Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc to establish a project to foster publishing work for external information and to promote Vietnamese publications abroad.

Deputy Minister Bảo said that the ministry would step up information provision to media agencies and be a link between ministries, sectors, localities and media.

It will also hold professional training for officials doing external information work, he said. — VNS