Towards building a revolutionary, professional, humane and modern press

Photo caption — Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung presents the draft Law on Press (amended). Photo: Tuan Anh/VNA

Affirming the revolutionary nature of Vietnamese journalism

According to Minister Nguyen Van Hung, the Draft Law on Press (amended) has 4 policy groups including: Strengthening management of press activities (7 issues); Improving the quality of journalists and leaders of press agencies (5 issues); Promoting the development of press economy (4 issues); Regulating the activities of press agencies in cyberspace.

"The draft Law continues to ensure citizens' freedom of the press and freedom of speech in the press," Minister Nguyen Van Hung affirmed.

In addition, the regulation on the position of the press is added: "The press in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is revolutionary press..." to affirm the historical and revolutionary nature of the press, aiming to build a professional, humane, and modern press as set forth by the 13th Party Congress.

The Draft Law also supplements regulations on operating models; regulations on expanding the operating space of the press in cyberspace; policy mechanisms for press development; promoting the development of the press economy, in the context of arranging and streamlining the organizational apparatus of the political system, meeting the information and propaganda requirements in the new era. Supplementing the principle of press development associated with social responsibility, professional ethics, not pursuing commercialization, ensuring that the press fulfills its mission of orienting and leading information in society.

The Minister affirmed that with comprehensive amendments, the Press Law, when passed by the National Assembly, will have positive impacts in many aspects. For the State, the Law ensures legal tools to manage media risks, maintain ideological security and national digital sovereignty. For press agencies, the Law opens up a legal corridor to develop the press economy, digital transformation, exploit multi-platform content, form a key multimedia media agency, . . .

Another important new point is the regulation of the model of "Multimedia key media agency" with a specific financial mechanism according to the Government's regulations; established in accordance with the Press System Development and Management Strategy approved by the Prime Minister. In addition, the press, radio and television agencies are press agencies under the provincial and municipal Party Committees, with many types of press and press products.

The draft supplements regulations on the activities of press agencies in cyberspace, which must comply with the law on press, cyber security, regulations on the principles and purposes of press agencies and be consistent with international treaties. The content channels of press agencies in cyberspace are press products. Press agencies notify the state press management agency when opening content channels in cyberspace.

New sources of revenue for press agencies include revenue from selling the right to view and listen to journalistic works; revenue from allowing the exploitation and use of journalistic works; revenue from linking in journalistic activities. Revenue from providing public career services assigned, ordered, and bid by competent state agencies; revenue from people who need to publish scientific research articles to have funds to review, complete, and improve the quality of articles.

Presenting the review report, Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh stated: The Committee basically agrees with the addition of regulations on "key multimedia media agencies". However, it is recommended to continue researching, clarifying the content, criteria for identification and specific financial mechanisms of key multimedia media agencies.

It is suggested that, in addition to the 6 press agencies identified in Decision 362 of the Prime Minister on approving the national press development and management plan until 2025, it is necessary to consider adding key multimedia press agencies in some localities or some units that have built up prestige and have a certain position in press activities.

Regarding the contents related to "press economy", the Committee agrees with the regulations to create conditions for press agencies to have more revenue, increase financial resources to ensure and improve the quality of operations as in the draft law; proposes to continue researching, supplementing, and clarifying the concept of "press economy" and regulations related to public investment, autonomy mechanism, and regulations on revenue from business activities of press agencies.

Perfecting the legal basis for disease prevention

Also at the morning session, the National Assembly listened to the Report and the Report on the review of the Law on Disease Prevention. Presenting the Report on the Law on Disease Prevention, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said about the practical basis: The Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 2007 (effective from July 1, 2008) has contributed to controlling epidemics. However, after more than 17 years, the law has revealed limitations, inadequacies and new problems have arisen regarding: quality of life, disease burden, nutrition, environmental factors, policy gaps for non-communicable diseases and mental health disorders. Therefore, the development of a new law is necessary. The purpose of promulgating the Law is to perfect the legal basis for disease prevention. Improve the physical and mental health, stature, longevity, and quality of life of Vietnamese people through effective control of diseases and risk factors.

Regarding the content of decentralization and delegation: The draft Law clearly defines the authority of the National Assembly, and at the same time assigns the Government, ministries and branches to regulate practical issues that are constantly changing to ensure flexibility. Institutionalize the promotion of decentralization and delegation; demonstrate the role and responsibility of local authorities. Local authorities at all levels (province, commune) are responsible for organizing, directing, monitoring, assessing risks, warning and applying disease prevention measures. When there is an epidemic, local authorities have the authority to mobilize forces and means to carry out isolation, quarantine, vaccination, disinfection... Localities are also responsible for arranging funds, mobilizing the community, and coordinating with central agencies.

In addition, the draft Law has specific provisions on the application of science, technology, innovation and digital transformation to promote this field. At the same time, the draft Law ensures compatibility and conformity with international conventions to which Vietnam is a member.

Briefly presenting the Report on the review of the Law on Disease Prevention, Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh said that the Committee proposed to continue reviewing and researching the full institutionalization of the Party's viewpoints on people's health care, especially the contents in Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW dated September 9, 2025 of the Politburo "On a number of breakthrough solutions, strengthening the protection, care and improvement of people's health"; researching and supplementing appropriate regulations on the prevention and control of infectious diseases, mental health disorders, and nutrition in disease prevention in the draft Law to ensure the implementation of the purpose of promulgating the Law and the balance between the 5 policies that have been codified in the draft Law...

Also at the meeting, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan presented to the National Assembly the draft Population Law. Notably, the draft law stipulates many new specific policies and measures. To maintain the replacement birth rate, the draft law proposes solutions such as increasing maternity leave, providing financial support when giving birth, and adding priority criteria for buying and renting social housing, etc.

To address the gender imbalance at birth, the bill prohibits the selection of the sex of the fetus in any form (except in the case of diagnosing genetic diseases related to gender). At the same time, the law clearly stipulates strict handling of medical practitioners who disclose information about the sex of the fetus to customers.

Minister Dao Hong Lan emphasized that, facing the challenge of population aging, the bill adds solutions to support elderly care, develop human resources for care and protect the elderly from violations of their legal rights.

In addition, the law also delves into solutions to improve population quality, including implementing pre-marital health counseling, promoting prenatal and neonatal screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Presenting the draft Law on Deposit Insurance (amended), Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong stated that the development of the Law aims to fully institutionalize the policies and guidelines of the Party and the State, especially the tasks set out in Conclusion No. 19-KL/TW of the Politburo and the Orientation of the Law-making Program of the 15th National Assembly. After 12 years of implementation, the 2012 Law on Deposit Insurance has revealed a number of difficulties and problems that need to be resolved. In particular, the National Assembly's approval of the Law on Credit Institutions (amended) on January 18, 2024 has required amending and supplementing the Law on Deposit Insurance to ensure consistency in the legal system, creating a basis for Vietnam's deposit insurance to effectively perform new tasks.

The core purpose of the draft Law is to create a complete and clear legal corridor, strengthening the "shield" for deposit insurance organizations to better protect depositors' rights, while ensuring the stability of the credit institution system, security and social safety.

Presenting the Draft Law on Bankruptcy (amended), Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Le Minh Tri stated that the development of the Law on Bankruptcy (amended) aims to amend and supplement provisions that are still problematic and inadequate in practice, and remove bottlenecks in resolving bankruptcy cases. Thereby creating a favorable legal corridor for enterprises and cooperatives to restore production and business activities, declare bankruptcy and promptly terminate the operations of enterprises and cooperatives that are no longer able to recover. Along with that, it aims to unlock resources, support production and business, promote the economy, build a healthy business environment, contribute to improving the investment and business environment and enhance national competitiveness, protect the rights and legitimate interests of all parties. The motto is to encourage start-ups, innovation and tolerance, sharing with risks and unavoidable accidents in production and business of enterprises.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/huong-den-xay-dung-nen-bao-chi-cach-mang-chuyen-nghiep-nhan-van-hien-dai-20251023114316076.htm