Foreign Press Guidance Center - 40-year journey of persistent efforts to tell Vietnam's story to the world

Forty years have passed, and that journey continues quietly — a journey that does not seek glory, but always shines with faith, responsibility, and deep love for the country.

Foreign reporters take photos in front of President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. (Photo: Bao Chi)

Journalists do not hold pens

Behind every international news report about Vietnam are people who do not hold a pen or appear in front of the camera, but who make an important contribution to the world's understanding and love of the S-shaped country. They are the staff of the Foreign Press Guidance Center (Center), a unit under the Diplomatic Corps Service Department - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who persevere with the mission of connecting, supporting, guiding and accompanying international reporters on the journey to tell Vietnam's story to the world.

Behind the scenes, they quietly prepare every detail, remove every difficulty, and create the most favorable conditions so that each international reporter can fully perform their work and tell the story of Vietnam with more respect, honesty, and sincerity.

Forty years have passed, and that journey continues quietly — a journey that does not seek glory, but always shines with faith, responsibility, and deep love for the country.

They – the “journalists without pens” – are the unique highlight of foreign information work: quiet but effective, humble but persistent, contributing to spreading the image of a friendly, benevolent Vietnam and increasingly reaching out to the world .

Formed from strategic vision

The Foreign Press Guidance Center was established under Decision No. 144/VP dated October 19, 1983 of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the context of Vietnam beginning to expand its foreign relations with countries around the world. The Center was assigned a dual task: Unified management of the activities of foreign correspondents not permanently residing in Vietnam; Creating favorable conditions for them to work in accordance with regulations, safely and effectively.

The Foreign Press Guidance Center took an international press delegation on a field trip. (Source: Foreign Press Guidance Center)

Immediately after its establishment, the Center quickly became a focal point for coordination between domestic management agencies and international press, laying the foundation for guiding and supporting foreign reporters not residing in Vietnam.

By 2020, this task was transferred to the Diplomatic Corps Service Department, and the Center was restructured into a specialized department, opening a new phase of operation – more professional, unified and flexible.

Imprint on the foreign information front

Over the past 40 years, witnessing the changes and transformations of the country, the Center has directly coordinated and supported the international press in historic events such as: APEC Summit 2006 in Hanoi, 2017 in Da Nang - where thousands of reporters from more than 40 countries gathered, US - North Korea Summit 2019 in Hanoi, ASEAN Summit and ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meetings (AMM); 50th Anniversary of Southern Liberation - National Reunification and 80th Anniversary of National Day September 2; Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly; United Nations Vesak Festival, East Asia Summit (EAS)...

The Center has guided reporters to accompany hundreds of visits of high-ranking leaders of various countries to Vietnam. (Source: Foreign Press Guidance Center)

The Center has guided reporters to accompany hundreds of visits by high-ranking leaders of countries to Vietnam at the invitation of our Party and State, including the visits of US President Barack Obama (2016) and President Joe Biden (2023) - important milestones opening a new chapter in Vietnam - US relations; the visits of President Xi Jinping in 2023 and 2025 marking strategic significance in Vietnam - China relations; visits by leaders of South Korea, Japan, Australia, France, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand... and the upcoming Conference on Signing the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (UN Cybercrime Convention) 2025 in Hanoi, a milestone when Vietnam first hosted the signing of a global treaty.

In addition to press guidance activities at major national events, every year the Center supports hundreds of international reporters from many news agencies and newspapers such as CNN, BBC, NHK, Reuters, AP, AFP, CNA, NBC News, CBS News... to come to Vietnam to work in the fields of culture, tourism, economics, education and social life.

Every year, the Center supports hundreds of international reporters from many news agencies and newspapers. (Source: Foreign Press Guidance Center)

The work starts from receiving requests, processing visa procedures, building programs, contacting agencies and localities to consulting on content, introducing characters and providing logistical support, all details are handled by the Center's staff. That requires not only good foreign language skills and understanding of one's own country, but also resilience, courage and a spirit of constant, quiet and dedicated dedication.

From the journey to demand justice for Agent Orange victims

However, their working journey is not only filled with pride and laughter but also sweat and tears.

As a resilient and steadfast nation in the struggle to build and defend the country, the war left extremely heavy and devastating consequences for our country, where more than 71.8 million liters of dioxin were sprayed, and more than 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed, of which about 3 million were victims (according to VAVA Vietnam).

Over the years, the Center has developed programs and provided guidance for many international press groups to come to the locality to report on war aftermath work such as: NHK Television, Ryukyu Asahi Television (Okinawa, Japan), Spiegel Magazine (Germany), a US press group that made a report called Legacy of Peace , Swiss Radio (Switzerland) twice came to make a report on Agent Orange victims and Vietnam-US cooperation in dioxin treatment at Da Nang airport.

An international reporter interviews an Agent Orange victim. (Source: Foreign Press Guidance Center)

After the trip, Swiss Radio reporters published the book War Never Ends (roughly translated from German) and many other news agencies to convey the most authentic images, highlighting the pain and determination of families of Agent Orange victims.

A Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs also mentioned this tragic story when meeting with Agent Orange victims: "pain and sympathy for the people who suffered the consequences of Agent Orange, the haunting memory is deeply imprinted in their minds." Anyone who was directly present at the scene would be deeply moved and unable to hold back their tears, including international reporters and staff of the Center.

Those images, along with the danger of having to accompany the reporter team working in the extremely dangerous mine clearance area, have urged them to make even more efforts, and in part the silent contributions of the Foreign Press Guidance Center also contributed to the success of the "Journey to find justice for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin".

Under enormous pressure from international media and the US media, along with the tireless efforts of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA), to date, the US Government has spent 173 million USD to help overcome the consequences in Vietnam.

This is the greatest reward and pride that each staff member of the Center feels after the silent and persistent dedication that has been forged by previous generations, transmitting the flame of enthusiasm - an indispensable spirit of each staff member of the Center.

Innovation to spread the image of modern and professional Vietnam

In the context of rapid and multi-dimensional development of international media, the Foreign Press Guidance Center continues to identify the goal of improving service quality, promoting the application of modern technology, and strengthening inter-sectoral coordination to support international reporters more quickly, effectively and professionally.

Not only a technical hub, the Center is also a "strategic bridge" of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in foreign information work - a place that contributes to shaping the image of Vietnam in the eyes of international friends as a trustworthy, benevolent and unique country.

The center is a pioneer in digital transformation, applying modern technology in management, licensing and guidance of international reporters. (Source: Foreign Press Guidance Center)

Not only is it a support unit for operations, the Foreign Press Guidance Center also actively participates in advising and perfecting the legal framework for international press activities in Vietnam - contributing to building a transparent, favorable and professional media environment.

The center is a pioneer in digital transformation, applying modern technology in management, licensing and guidance of international reporters; at the same time, expanding online communication channels to improve the effectiveness of foreign information, helping the image of Vietnam spread more strongly and quickly on the global media map.

“We not only support reporters in their work, but also help them understand, empathize and tell the story of Vietnam with the utmost respect and sincerity,” said Mr. Luong Hoang Giap, Director of the Foreign Press Guidance Center.

The Center’s staff not only support reporters in their work, but also help them understand, empathize with, and tell the story of Vietnam with the utmost respect and sincerity. (Source: Foreign Press Guidance Center)

Inheriting tradition - Uniting for development

Continuing the tradition of previous generations, the Center's collective today always promotes the spirit of initiative, dedication, solidarity and responsibility, constantly learning and innovating to successfully complete assigned tasks.

The results achieved are proof of the attention and close direction of the leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the leaders of the Diplomatic Corps Service Department, together the close support and coordination of units inside and outside the Ministry, especially the Press Information Department, the State Protocol and Foreign Interpretation Department, regional Departments, and the Departments of Foreign Affairs, and relevant authorities.

Thanks to this effective coordination, the Center has been maintaining a professional working style, high sense of responsibility and initiative in all activities.

Proactive - Professional - Integrated

From the initial quiet steps to today's steadfast journey, the Foreign Press Guidance Center has been writing a beautiful story – the story of dedicated, humble people, attached to their profession with love for the country and belief in the power of true media.

Forty years – a journey without the spotlight, but shining with the spirit of dedication and the aspiration to bring the image of Vietnam reach out, come to the world with truth, faith and goodwill.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/trung-tam-huong-dan-bao-chi-nuoc-ngoai-hanh-trinh-40-nam-no-luc-ben-bi-ke-cau-chuyen-viet-nam-ra-the-gioi-331369.html