External information and communications work: Continuing the Vietnam story – Deputy FM Le Thi Thu Hang

A large number of domestic and international external journalists attended the International Press Conference announcing the results of the 14th National Party Congress chaired by General Secretary To Lam on January 23, 2026. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

Deputy Minister, in 2025, external information and communications work is marked by numerous "campaigns" spanning 12 months, portraying a dynamic, friendly, and resilient Vietnam to friends worldwide. Which achievements in external information work over the past year are you most impressed and proud of?

The year 2025 was indeed very eventful with many historical events of the country and a dense schedule of foreign activities. In that context, external information work achieved many positive results, contributing to the promotion and enhancement of Vietnam's image on the international stage; at the same time, proactively safeguarding the ideological foundation of the Party and the country's interests in a multi-dimensional and complex information environment.

Firstly, the communications work regarding key Vietnamese leadership delegations visiting other countries, foreign leaders visiting Vietnam, major multilateral foreign events hosted by Vietnam, and important national events continued to be implemented methodically and vibrantly, creating a "ripple effect" that attracted foreign media attention.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang answers questions from The World and Vietnam Report. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

Some of the remarkably successful "media campaigns" include the 14th National Party Congress, the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2, and the Signing Ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention), leaving a profound impression of a peaceful, developing, and integrating Vietnam, showcasing the patriotism and pride of the Vietnamese nation, with its position and prestige continuously rising on the international stage.

Secondly, efforts to optimize new communication tools, especially social media, have helped expand access, increase the spread, and enhance the public's goodwill towards Vietnam's image both domestically and internationally.

The digital transformation and development of the social media ecosystem by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have seen a "breakthrough" in growth indicators. By early 2026, the official Facebook page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam/Viet Nam MOFA saw a 500% increase in followers compared to 2024, with 70 out of 98 Vietnamese representative missions abroad having accounts on platforms like Facebook and X. Key external information and communications units of the Ministry, such as the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the National Boundary Commission, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, and the World & Vietnam Report, have been actively operating in the online space, significantly contributing to the success of external information and communication work in 2025.

Additionally, external media agencies have also implemented many new formats, enriching Vietnam's external media ecosystem, such as launching the external television channel Vietnam Today; Nhan dan newspaper and Vietnam News Agency have also developed digital products, applying QR technology, artificial intelligence, etc., to meet work requirements, public tastes, and the spirit of the new era driven by science and technology and innovation.

Thirdly, cooperation with foreign journalists continues to be a significant highlight in 2025. In the context of global media agencies facing difficulties and fierce competition, forcing them to reduce the number of permanent offices and staff, Vietnam is still "invested" by these agencies: in 2025, three foreign media agencies opened permanent press offices in Hanoi. This is an opportunity for us to "leverage" foreign media channels to collaborate and disseminate information externally.

Vietnamese representative missions abroad also promote connectivity with local journalists and Vietnamese journalists overseas, creating an important communication channel that positively impacts local audiences and international public opinion. The presence of foreign journalists and overseas Vietnamese journalists at major events throughout the year is a significant effort by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies.

What encourages us is the positive and objective coverage from foreign media and overseas Vietnamese media about a peaceful, stable, friendly, cooperative, and developing Vietnam, which is a bright spot in regional and global development, constantly transforming and steadily stepping into a new era of national development. The most joyous and touching moments come when, after each "campaign", we receive messages and congratulations from Vietnamese and foreign journalists, motivating us to embark on new "campaigns".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits and encourages journalists working at the 14th National Party Congress. (Source: VGP)

In the spirit of the 14th National Party Congress: "strategic self-reliance, resilience, confidence, advancing strongly in the era of national awakening", external affairs are facing the demand for strong innovation and breakthroughs in thinking and action to fulfill the "crucial, regular" mission. According to the Deputy Minister, how should we act and innovate in both form and content of external information and communications work to contribute to realizing the mission of Vietnam's foreign affairs, advancing the comprehensive external strategy to new heights?

General Secretary To Lam, when working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated: Vietnam's diplomacy will continue to foster peace, expand development space, elevate the country's position, and contribute positively to achieving the two 100-year goals set by the Party, leading Vietnam to become a powerful, prosperous, enduring, and sustainable nation.

With that spirit, all fields of political, economic, cultural diplomacy, and external information and communications must "transform" and "rise". Therefore, external information and communications work needs to continue leveraging significant achievements while adopting new thinking and methods to clear bottlenecks and create breakthroughs in external information and communication work.

First, we need to innovate our thinking. External information and communications work should be placed within strategic thinking, closely linked to the country's overall foreign objectives. This requires a proactive, long-term approach; methods to guide information, building continuous, consistent message streams that reflect a stable, developing, deeply integrating, and responsible Vietnam. The mindset for external information and communications should shift from individual events to a comprehensive message approach, from meeting public demands to creating, directing, and even leading public opinion.

External information and communications work must always be closely linked with other pillars of foreign affairs, paving the way, creating a favourable information environment for foreign activities, continuously developing a positive national image while promptly countering and refuting negative information.

Foreign journalists working at the 14th Party Congress. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

Additionally, 2025 marks 10 years since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began external information and communications work via social media. I have observed that the information environment has changed significantly with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, etc. In the context of an increasingly saturated and fiercely competitive media landscape, innovation is essential, but innovation does not mean racing or comparing with others, chasing quantity, but rather continuously improving the quality of journalistic products, external information and communications.

Social media users and readers today often "favour" short content, so external journalism and external information agencies should research to have "keywords", core messages in "media products", making it easy for target audiences to remember and recognize. The challenge is to balance creativity, attractiveness, and brevity in expression with the standard and depth of content, to meet the tastes of target audiences while maintaining the quality and essence of external information anc communication content.

Finally, external information anc communication resources, including human resources and coordination mechanisms, need to be further invested in and prioritized. The team involved in external information and communication work needs to be equipped with journalistic skills, new communication skills, and professional courage, capable of working in a globally competitive media environment. The close, synchronized coordination between foreign affairs agencies, media, localities, and Vietnamese representative missions abroad will create a synergistic strength, contributing to comprehensive foreign affairs, fulfilling the "key, regular" mission.

Leaders, reporters, and editors of the World and Vietnam Report working at a foreign event.

Through the lens of external information and the "pen" of those involved in external information and communications work, the narrative of a rising Vietnam striving to develop in all aspects is being depicted. According to the Deputy Minister, how should external journalism adhere to consistent messages to avoid "off-tone"? Do you have any messages for the team directly involved in external information and communications work to "tell the story" of Vietnam in the new era?

In the upcoming journey, Vietnam will continue its consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, resilience, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, multilateralization, diversification, being a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community. To continue effectively implementing and maintaining the achievements of external information and communication work, I believe that external journalism needs to have a coordinated, focused, and prioritized communication campaign, adhering to core, consistent messages while being creative in expression, leveraging the "soft power" of the nation.

Firstly, consistently portray an image of Vietnam steadfast in its path of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, and confidence, boldly stepping into a new era of development, dynamically developing, deeply integrating, by fully reflecting major policies and specific results in socio-economic development and foreign affairs so that international friends understand clearly and correctly the development path that Vietnam is persistently pursuing.

Secondly, focus on telling stories about ordinary but determined Vietnamese people, thereby spreading core values such as creativity, solidarity, humanity, and the aspiration to rise.

Thirdly, clearly reflect Vietnam's role, contributions, and responsibilities in regional and global issues, from development cooperation, peacekeeping to addressing non-traditional challenges, thereby enhancing Vietnam's position and garnering international support and sympathy.

Fourthly, ensure the accuracy, consistency, and timeliness of official information, while innovating the form of expression to suit the digital media environment, making external messages both deep and accessible to different audience groups.

General Secretary To Lam has emphasized "information and communications work on the press and digital platforms must be comprehensively renewed, must continue and continuously maintain the "proactive action, leading" position. Therefore, external information and journalism must grasp this message to produce impactful products that influence public opinion.

In that spirit, I hope the team directly involved in external information and communications work, media agencies continue to be proactive and creative in providing information, while fully understanding their role and responsibility in external information and communications work, continuously updating new technologies and communication skills, or in other words, being "both politically principled and professionally proficient", continuously innovating and being creative. Each piece of information published not only reflects journalistic activity but also indirectly represents the image and voice of Vietnam. Each journalist is a storyteller of Vietnam.

As for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have been, are, and will always accompany Vietnamese journalists to continue writing the story of a peaceful, developing, and integrating Vietnam.

Thank you, Deputy Minister!