Refuting wrong and hostile views on the issue of press freedom in Vietnam

This intention is nothing more than to downplay the mission of revolutionary journalism, deny the political tendency of revolutionary journalism to serve the people, serve the country and, more deeply, to change the political and social regime in Vietnam.

The "repeated" arguments are very cunning and malicious.

Recently, hostile forces and some Western media agencies, ill-intentioned and politically dissatisfied elements have taken advantage of cyberspace to distort the issue of press freedom in Vietnam.

The arguments that are repeatedly "chewed" are the accusations and slander that Vietnam does not have press freedom through the so-called "Annual Press Freedom Index", which always ranks the Vietnamese press at the second to last position on the list. In addition, they distort the Party and State of Vietnam "managing" the press according to the "registration", "censorship", "harsh" regime... From distorting the leadership and correct management of the Party and State of Vietnam in the press, many reactionary organizations and social networking sites call for changes in the political regime, abolishing the leadership role of the Party, and changing policies with deceitful arguments such as: "The current regime does not create an environment for changing the press, but there must be profound institutional changes"; "The State must allow private press to operate". Not only that, some Western media agencies that lack goodwill towards Vietnam such as BBC, RFI, RFA, VOA... and reactionary groups and individuals on YouTube and Facebook, whenever there are specific events and incidents related to the press, they scream, speculate, and distort the situation in the country. With the encouragement and support of hostile organizations, some reactionary elements in the country have set up illegal groups to promote the so-called "freedom of the press" and "civil society" according to their plot to counterbalance the Communist Party of Vietnam .

It can be affirmed that false and hostile information on the issue of press freedom is like poisoned needles penetrating the awareness and attitude, changing the worldview and outlook on life of many people. A part of the people are skeptical and pessimistic about Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the leadership role of the Party in general and the Party's leadership of the press in particular. False and distorted information can divide and separate people, distract social classes, and destroy the great national unity bloc...

More dangerously, erroneous and hostile views on the issue of press freedom in Vietnam also create a biased and unsympathetic view of Vietnam in the international community; and can even negatively affect the assessment of international organizations and countries on the issue of human rights and the level of social development in Vietnam.

A Vietnam with open press freedom

Over the years, our Party and State have always paid attention to creating favorable conditions for the development of Vietnamese press. Along with that, the socio-economic development of the country is a vivid reality for the Vietnamese press to grow strongly in terms of scale, organization, force, means, journalism technology and influence and spread in society.

In terms of politics and law, the Communist Party of Vietnam affirms: “The press is both the voice of the Party, the State, and organizations, and the forum of the people”; “building a professional, humane, and modern press and media system; implementing well the planning and development of the press and media system”. Article 25 of the 2013 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam stipulates: “Citizens have the right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, access to information, assembly, association, and demonstration. The exercise of these rights is prescribed by law”.

According to the 2016 Press Law, citizens are allowed to participate in the processes of creating, producing press products, receiving press and speaking in the press according to regulations (Article 11). Press agencies are responsible for ensuring that citizens exercise their right to freedom of the press according to regulations (Article 12). For their part, press agencies and journalists are allowed to operate within the framework of the law and are protected by the State, not subject to censorship before printing, transmitting and broadcasting (Article 13); and are given the best conditions for professional activities. No one has the right to prevent journalists from exploiting and expressing information according to the provisions of the law (Article 25).

Of course, as in all fields and in all countries, press freedom must be within a framework, not unlimited, anarchic, and outside the law. The 2016 Press Law stipulates: “No one is allowed to abuse press freedom and freedom of speech in the press to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and citizens” (Article 13). The responsibility of journalists and citizens in practicing press freedom is to protect the legitimate rights and interests of all organizations and individuals, contributing to building a prosperous and strong country (Article 9).

Practice has proven that the Vietnamese revolutionary press is growing stronger and stronger, and freedom of the press is guaranteed. By the end of 2022, Vietnam had nearly 41,000 people working in the field of journalism, with 18,000 people granted press cards. Central and local agencies and organizations have newspapers or magazines; all classes, strata, social components, and socio-professional organizations... have specialized newspapers and magazines for them. Many newspapers have transformed into multimedia, multi-format press agencies, present on the internet environment. Types of mobile journalism, social media journalism, artificial intelligence journalism... have appeared, satisfying the public's need for multi-sensory reception (listening-seeing-reading) anytime, anywhere. At the same time, forms of interaction with the public have been expanded. The two-way communication model creates opportunities for the public to express their opinions, views, and aspirations on all issues and events taking place in social life; to participate in the process of solving problems that society is posing such as: environmental protection; protection of children's rights, women's rights; combating climate change; fighting corruption, social negativity...

In addition, international cooperation in the field of journalism has developed. Currently, there are nearly 40 international media agencies present in Vietnam, including many major agencies such as CNN, Reuters, AP, AFP, Kyodo, Asia News Agency (Korea), Aju Economic Daily (Korea) and Rossiya Segodnya News Agency (Russia)... International media agencies such as CNN, TV5, NHK, DW, Australia Network, KBS, Bloomberg and most of the world's major media channels can reach the Vietnamese public easily and conveniently without any technological or legal barriers. International journalists are facilitated by the Vietnamese Government to work. Many Vietnamese journalists are facilitated by the State to study, exchange professional experience and work in journalism in many countries around the world.

With the affirmed political and legal basis and proven practice, freedom of the press in Vietnam is always respected and guaranteed. This means rejecting and denying the distorted and incorrect arguments of hostile forces about ensuring freedom of the press and freedom of speech in Vietnam.

Journalists and press agencies in the fight against toxic, hostile information

In recent years, many newspapers, especially those belonging to the Party newspaper system, major press agencies such as Nhan Dan, Quan Doi Nhan Dan, Cong An, Communist Magazine, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television, many local Party newspapers, many scientific magazines have published articles reflecting, analyzing, exposing the plots and tricks of hostile forces to sabotage the Party, the regime as well as sabotage the revolutionary press. Many newspapers have opened special pages and columns: "Protecting the Party's ideological foundation in the new situation", "Identifying the truth"... incorporating the publication of articles affirming freedom of speech and freedom of the press in Vietnam. Many articles have opened columns to verify information to publish the truth about events, incidents, and issues distorted by hostile forces so that people do not panic or waver.

In the coming time, the world and regional situation will continue to develop complicatedly, hostile and reactionary forces at home and abroad will increase the tricks of "peaceful evolution" in the ideological field, distorting press freedom in Vietnam with increasingly sophisticated and cunning methods and tricks. Therefore, identifying, refuting and fighting against false and distorted information about press freedom requires journalists - as the subjects carrying out the responsibility of reporting, initiating and orienting public opinion at the mouthpieces of the Party, the State, and the people's forums - to participate more actively to identify the truth and reason, promptly and resolutely refute strongly, smashing the plots of hostile, reactionary and politically dissatisfied forces.

Press freedom in Vietnam is an undeniable and unmistakable reality. Ensuring press freedom and freedom of speech is also one of the goals throughout the Vietnamese revolutionary process; it is the consistent leadership of the Party at all times, guaranteed by the Constitution and legal system and unanimously supported by the people. With that reality, journalists have full political, legal and practical basis to effectively fight against distorted arguments about press freedom in cyberspace. Therefore, journalists must sharpen their pens into sharp "weapons" to fight directly and uncompromisingly against erroneous and hostile views on press freedom.

During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed: “Journalists are also revolutionary soldiers. Pen and paper are their sharp weapons.” To effectively refute distorted arguments, journalists need to have a strong political stance, always showing a desire to protect the truth and justice with an enthusiastic spirit, a constantly cultivated and honed intelligence and talent. According to Uncle Ho’s teachings, journalists need to “firmly grasp the Party and Government’s guidelines and policies”; “strive to cultivate ideology, expertise and culture”; “go deep into the masses.” Journalists need to firmly grasp guidelines and policies to propagate accurately and convincingly, to firmly be the vanguard soldiers on the Party’s ideological and cultural front. For every journalist, good culture brings good ethics, broad and deep knowledge; solid expertise to create good and attractive journalistic works.

It can be affirmed that the participation of press agencies and journalists in the fight against distorted, erroneous, and hostile views on press freedom in Vietnam is both a political responsibility and a matter of professional ethics and culture, aiming to contribute, together with the entire political system, to firmly protect the Party's ideological foundation, while protecting the values and good achievements of the Vietnamese revolutionary press that have been cultivated and built over nearly a century.

Associate Professor, Dr. Truong Thi Kien , Academy of Journalism and Communication

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