Eighty years ago, on April 7, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh, then Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed Decree No. 47/SL establishing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This decree laid the foundation for the creation of the Department of Information and Press, which included the Information and Spokesperson Office and the Propaganda and Press Office. Over the past eight decades, with the support of Party and State leaders, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the dedication of many generations of collaborators, the Department of Information and Press has left its mark on many historical periods and significant events in the country’s foreign policy.
Immediately after the August 1945 Revolution, the young Democratic Republic of Vietnam, in a precarious situation, faced countless challenges. In this context of internal enemies and external aggressors, it became crucial for communication and propaganda services to help the world understand the true nature of the revolution and the country’s aspiration for independence. The first diplomatic cadres, especially those of the Department of Information and Communication and the Department of Propaganda and Press under President Ho Chi Minh’s direct authority, undertook the immense mission of exposing the plots and aggressions of colonial and imperialist forces, while forming an information front to protect the country’s nascent independence.
During this revolutionary period fraught with challenges, President Ho Chi Minh, with his exceptional intelligence and innate abilities, multiplied articles, messages, contacts, and interviews with the press, especially foreign press. These initiatives demonstrated his strategic vision: he seized opportunities and used all international communication channels to make the world understand the Vietnamese people’s aspirations for peace and independence. In a short time, during his stay in France from early June to mid-September 1946, he had over sixty meetings, conversations, and interviews with journalists from more than twenty newspapers and press agencies in France and abroad. These exchanges were rich in lessons and served as a guide for all his subsequent information and journalism activities.
Throughout the two long resistance wars, with their authentic, concise yet incisive style, messages from Hanoi touched the hearts of progressives worldwide, triggering a wave of support for peace and opposition to war.
At the dawn of the period of renovation and international integration, external communication underwent a profound transformation, ushering in a new era of development. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially its Department of Press and Information, remained key players, leading in promoting the country’s image, mobilizing international support, and staunchly fighting against false and hostile speeches. They contributed to lifting the blockade and embargo, and serving the cause of national construction and defense.
As the first government body to have a spokesperson and provide information to the press from as early as 1987, with the addition of a deputy spokesperson in 2013, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saw its spokespersons, from generation to generation, demonstrate courage and confidence in the face of pressures, while balancing information transparency and protection of national interests. Through significant media campaigns during visits by senior officials and major foreign policy events such as the 1997 Francophonie Summit, the 2004 Asia-Europe Summit, the APEC Summits in 2006 and 2017, the 2010 and 2020 ASEAN presidencies, the 2019 US-North Korea Summit, and important national events like the National Day on September 2, the Day of Liberation of the South, and the reunification of the country on April 30, each member of the Department of Press and Information gained valuable experience and maturity.
With sincerity, dedication, and a sense of responsibility, the personnel of the Department of Information and Press not only liaise with the press but also serve as the spokespersons for a peaceful, tolerant, dynamic, innovative, and developing Vietnam, thereby strengthening the country’s position and prestige on the international stage. To achieve these goals, in addition to the efforts of each department member, direct and close support from top officials, the ministry’s leadership, as well as close and harmonious coordination with different units of the ministry and local services, ministries, and agencies, along with a team of competent and enthusiastic journalists, are indispensable.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the global and regional situation is experiencing unpredictable upheavals, exacerbated by the rise of the fourth industrial revolution. Media is no longer just a tool for communication, national image building, and international influence, but also a survival space where every nation can be present, interact, and compete.
In this context, external information work faces both opportunities and challenges, including the rise of the “information war,” fake news, and AI-generated media products. This requires proactivity, great adaptability, creativity, innovation, and strengthening of professional skills for each unit member.
Faithful to the glorious traditions of the unit, and regardless of the circumstances, the members of the Department of Press and Information commit discreetly, with dedication and rigor, to provide information and support the journalistic work of national and international reporters. They ensure the observance of excellence standards in every press release, follow and analyze international public opinion, actively disseminate foreign policy messages online, and actively participate in research, training, and advising on policies suitable for the new context. Every task, however small, is carried out with professionalism and modernity, and with a passionate heart for the Fatherland and the People.
With over 80 years of history, we can proudly say that, along with other services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Press and Information has always been an ally and faithful servant of the country and the people, closely linked to iconic figures of Vietnamese diplomacy such as the late Deputy Minister Le Mai, Ambassador Nguyen Xuan Lang, Director Trinh Xuan Lang, Spokesperson Ho The Lan, and many generations of leaders, officials, and employees of the Department. This is not only an opportunity for us to express our gratitude to past generations that laid the foundation for this glorious tradition but also to encourage the current generation to continue on this path. From handwritten dispatches to modern multimedia communication products, the flame of passion, courage, and dedication has always been preserved within the Department of Press and Information.
In the years to come, current leaders will continue to write new chapters of history so that Vietnam’s voice resonates more, becomes more persuasive and influential on the international stage, contributing to the construction of a global and modern diplomacy and the realization of the “critical and enduring” foreign policy tasks of this new era of national development.
- Bao Chi Vu
Source: Vietnamnet
