The Press Centre in HCM city expected to become a bridge to connect the city’s authority and members of the press. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hoài

HCM CITY — The HCM City’s People Committee opened a press centre, the first of its kind in the country, on Sunday to connect city authorities and the press.  

Press conferences and announcement of events of the city’s People’s Committee and departments will be held at the VNĐ34.5 billion (US$1.5 million) centre, which will also provide information to domestic and foreign press agencies.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Nguyễn Thành Phong, chairman of the city’s People Committee, said the city had committed to creating the best conditions for press agencies and journalists to access accurate information.

Hoàng Vĩnh Bảo, deputy minister of Information and Communications, said the centre’s opening was an important step for the development of the city press.

The centre will act as a pilot model for other provinces and cities to study and set up similar centres, Bảo said.

Từ Lương, deputy director of the city’s Department of Information and Communications, has been appointed the centre’s director for the next five years.

He told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper that the press centre has the right to request information from city agencies, which will share information with the press regularly.

The centre includes two press conference rooms with a capacity of 100 and 50 each.

In addition, the centre also has a meeting room, a place for translators and a workplace area for journalists with a high-speed internet connection.

The centre is located on the fifth and sixth floors at 255 Trần Hưng Đạo Street in District 1. The centre is open to journalists from 8am to 6pm from Monday through Saturday. — VNS