HÀ NỘI — The 12th National Press Awards 2017 were held in Hà Nội on June 21 on the occasion of Việt Nam’s Revolutionary Journalism Day, with 105 stories being credited. 

Journalists from the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) won several prizes, including a top award for the Vietnamplus coverage of Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc’s visit to the US: "Shaping framework for diverse multilateral co-operation."

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình praised the efforts of journalists nationwide and the highest number of entries ever.

He asked the press to spread the Party and State’s messages and strengthen public trust in their leadership, while promoting Việt Nam and its people’s image and exchanging cooperation with other countries.

The press should be at the forefront of uncovering distorted views of the Party, State and regime, he said.

They must focus on information published on the internet to avoid distorting the truth, particularly among young people, he said.

Chairman of the Việt Nam Journalists’ Association Thuận Hữu said the 12th National Press Awards 2017 had included journalists’ associations from 63 cities and provinces.

Journalists from local newspapers accounted for nearly 50 per cent of the winners for their work on issues of national importance and positive social impacts, he said.

The press covers examples of a “good people, good work” philosophy, as well as economic and cultural issues in remote mountainous regions that are home to ethnic minority groups, while trying to battle corruption, wastefulness and hostile forces, as well as wrongdoings against the Party and State. — VNS