On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the People's Army Newspaper's Traditional Day (October 20, 1950 / October 20, 2025), I turned back each page of the People's Army Newspaper to find news and articles imbued with the breath of life and personal imprints.

Journalist Nguyen The Nghiep reads articles about Laos published in the People's Army Newspaper. Photo: VU DUY

In 1975, after many years working as an expert in the liberated areas of Laos, I returned to the country and worked at the C-TTX Vietnam Office. Every day, I received hot news from the Vietnam News Agency's Laos branch and sent it to the editorial office. Along with that, information was collected through listening to the Lao National Radio. From the above sources, I edited popular news about current events in Laos to provide to the world news bulletin of Vietnam News Agency and the English foreign news bulletin team of the Lao News Agency. At that time, journalist Tran Nhung, Head of the International News Editorial Department of the People's Army Newspaper, often came to Office C to receive the earliest news and suggested that I write separate articles suitable for the People's Army Newspaper.

Hot news articles were published such as: "Pakxe uprising to seize power" (published on July 20, 1975), "Xayabury province establishes people's government" (published on August 17, 1975), "Louangphabang people uprising to seize power successfully" (published on August 20, 1975).

In 1990, with my knowledge of Laos, I was assigned by the agency's leadership to be the Head of the Vietnam News Agency's branch in Laos. A memory I will always remember as a journalist-soldier. In August 1991, the People's Army Newspaper delegation led by Colonel Phan Khac Hai (later Major General Phan Khac Hai), Editor-in-Chief of the People's Army Newspaper, visited and worked in Laos. I contacted various channels so that the People's Army Newspaper delegation could meet with Comrade Phoumi Vongvichit, Advisor to the Central Executive Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. At his home, Comrade Phoumi Vongvichit discussed with the People's Army Newspaper delegation the solidarity and alliance between Vietnam and Laos in fighting against the common enemy, and the achievements that the Lao army and people had achieved in the cause of protecting and building the country after liberation.

After retirement, I joined the Executive Committee of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, participating in many people-to-people diplomacy activities held in Vietnam and Laos. I also read many documents and materials on the Vietnam-Laos friendship relationship. With a rich source of materials, I wrote dozens of articles published in the People's Army Newspaper. Notable ones are the article "Vientiane pays tribute to the noble gesture of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army" on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and Vietnamese military experts in Laos; the article "The strategic vision of King Xaysethathirath" celebrating the 450th anniversary of the capital Vientiane...

Half a century of collaborating with the People's Army Newspaper, for me, each published article is not only a page of memories but also a deep attachment to my loyal Lao friends and brothers. Looking back at the written pages published in the People's Army Newspaper, I feel very lucky that my feelings and enthusiasm are preserved, becoming a profound memory of a time of enthusiastic work, passion for writing and collaborating with the soldier newspaper.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/chao-mung-ky-niem-75-nam-ngay-thanh-lap-bao-quan-doi-nhan-dan/dam-me-viet-va-cong-tac-voi-to-bao-chien-si-885676