Hue City, November 11 – In the framework of the “Vietnam-Laos Special Friendship Festival 2023”, the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam hosted a scientific seminar titled "Prospects for Vietnam-Laos Cooperation in Journalism and Communication: Challenges and Solutions" in Thua Thien Hue province.

The seminar was attended by leaders from the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam, representatives from central departments and agencies, leaders of Vietnamese provinces bordering Laos, and representatives from the Departments of Information and Communications of these provinces. The Laotian side was represented by officials from the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Laos, representatives from the Lao Embassy, the Lao Consulate General in Da Nang, and leaders from the Lao provinces of Salavan and Sekong.

The seminar aimed to leverage insights from experts and managers from both countries and to facilitate dialogue with delegates, guests, and speakers to provide useful information and practical solutions. The goal was to enhance information access for people in border areas and to underscore the increasingly vital role of information and communication in promoting trade investment, tourism development, and border economy between the provinces of Vietnam and Laos.

Mr. Dang Khac Loi, Deputy Director of the Press Department, Ministry of Information and Communications, presented on “Digital Transformation in Journalism and Some Experiences in Vietnam”. He outlined Vietnam’s objective to develop professional, humane, and modern journalism institutions that serve the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation’s renewal process.

Vietnamese journalism is evolving to align with technological trends, integrating various forms and media to increase domestic and international coverage, and meeting the new requirements of information and communication tasks.

Vietnam’s revolutionary journalism faces new challenges and difficulties. In response, the digital transformation of media and communication agencies represents a comprehensive and holistic change, including work methods, organizational models, and creative journalistic practices. It also signifies a crucial shift in the perceptions and attitudes of leaders, reporters, and editors.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, Deputy Director of the Broadcasting and Electronic Information Authority, Ministry of Information and Communications, discussed Vietnam’s experience in handling fake news. She noted that many people view cyberspace as a second life, creating content that impacts the community. Cross-border social media platforms are proliferating in Vietnam, allowing users to post content for free and monetize through advertising. This has contributed to the spread of fake and misleading information. In Vietnam, major platforms like Zalo, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok have tens of millions of users, with Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok being particularly rapid conduits for misinformation. Vietnam has implemented numerous actions against fake news, with three main pillars in the fight against misinformation, which the Broadcasting and Electronic Information Authority will share regarding combating fake news online.

Mr. Phongsa Somsava from the Mass Media Department, Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Laos, shared the results of Vietnam-Laos cooperation in journalism and communication training. Laos currently has 113 publications, with the private sector owning 13 and the public sector 99, including 11 dailies. There are a total of 168 radio stations, with 9 central stations (7 FM and 2 AM), 75 local stations, and 77 network stations. Broadcasts are also transmitted via satellite and the internet, covering 100% of the country and accessible globally. Additionally, the National Radio of Laos broadcasts programs in Vietnamese.

Laos has a total of 49 television stations, including 4 central, 3 private, 3 international, 4 central network stations, and 29 local stations. Some provinces broadcast via cable TV, digital TV, and there are 6 digital stations. There are also Vietnamese media representatives in Laos, such as VTV, VNA, and VOV.

During the seminar, presentations included “The Vietnam.vn platform as a model for applying technology in foreign information” by the leader of the Foreign Information Service, Ministry of Information and Communications; “Challenges of Lao information and communication in the current context” by Mr. Duangkeo Kongkham, Head of Information Technology - Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Laos; and “Prospects for Laos-Vietnam cooperation in information and communication” presented by Mr. Khamvo VATSANGA, Director of the Sekong Province’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

Furthermore, as part of the “Vietnam-Laos Special Friendship Festival 2023”, a meeting was held between Deputy Minister of Information and Communications of Vietnam Nguyen Thanh Lam and Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Laos Keomanyvong Phosy to enhance media and communication cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, both deputy ministers agreed that foreign information is crucial for diplomatic work, serving as a bridge to expand people-to-people exchanges, enhance mutual understanding, and improve international friends’ access to information about each country, thereby promoting the images of Vietnam and Laos globally.

The leaders of the Foreign Information Service of Vietnam and the Mass Media Department of Laos signed an MoU to intensify foreign media and communication cooperation between the two countries. The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in foreign information, in line with the laws and regulations of each country, based on principles of equality, reciprocity, and mutual benefit.

Both sides identified areas of cooperation including social management through information and communication; digital transformation in foreign information; training in foreign information services and international communication cooperation; participation in international media events to promote national images; and other mutually agreed issues.