Publishing in the digital age:

On the afternoon of October 10, in Hanoi, the National Political Publishing House Truth in collaboration with the Vietnam Publishing Association and the Academy of Journalism and Communication organized a national scientific conference "Orientation for the development of Vietnamese publishing in the digital age".

The event was held to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Vietnamese Publishing, Printing and Book Distribution Industry (October 10, 1952 - October 10, 2025), contributing to summarizing 5 years of implementing Directive No. 44-CT/TU dated April 16, 2020 of the Secretariat on innovation, improving the quality and effectiveness of publishing, distributing, researching and studying theoretical and political books.

Technology is the driving force, people are the center

The workshop is a scientific forum for experts, scientists, leaders and managers to exchange and discuss more deeply theoretical and practical issues, correctly assess the current situation, clarify difficulties and limitations, and on that basis propose key and breakthrough solutions to develop the Vietnamese publishing industry in the digital age, with the outstanding feature being the strong impact and influence of science, technology and digital transformation.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Minh Tuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine, Chairman of Vietnam Publishing Association, spoke. Photo: M.Chi

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Minh Tuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine, Chairman of the Vietnam Publishing Association, emphasized that the national scientific conference "Orientation for the development of Vietnamese publishing in the digital age" is an academic forum with profound theoretical and practical significance, a place where the intelligence, experience and enthusiasm of those working in theory, culture, ideology and publishing across the country converge.

Digital technology opens up enormous opportunities to innovate editing, publishing, and distribution processes; expand markets, increase interaction with readers, and spread Vietnamese culture to the world. In that context, the Vietnamese publishing industry is forced to transform strongly - not only to adapt, but also to affirm its noble mission: Disseminating knowledge, cultivating culture, protecting the Party's ideological foundation, and nurturing the soul and personality of the Vietnamese people.

Identifying the new development trend of the Publishing industry in the context of comprehensive digital transformation, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Minh Tuan emphasized that publishing must take the lead in the innovation of thinking and cultural creativity, must be the torch of knowledge, and the pioneering force on the cultural and ideological front of the Party. Vietnamese publishing today is not only the media industry of knowledge, but also the creative industry of the digital age.

The transition from traditional publishing to digital publishing is not just a technical change, but a fundamental shift in professional thinking: From “publication production” to “content creation”; from “single-line publishing” to “developing an open knowledge ecosystem”; from “one-way communication” to “multi-dimensional interaction” between publishers, authors and readers. In which, technology is the driving force – people are the center – knowledge and political will are the foundation.

“Developing Vietnamese publishing in the digital age is not only the task of the industry, but also the responsibility of the entire political system in the strategy of developing Vietnamese culture and people. It is the task of building a modern reading culture, forming a learning society, cultivating knowledge, nurturing creative aspirations and affirming the position of Vietnamese intelligence in the international arena,” Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Minh Tuan emphasized.

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Trong Lam, Director - Editor-in-Chief of the National Political Publishing House, Truth, speaks. Photo: M.Chi

Speaking at the workshop, Associate Professor Dr. Vu Trong Lam, Director - Editor-in-Chief of the National Political Publishing House, stated that publishing is an activity in the field of culture and ideology, directly contributing to building the cultural and intellectual foundation for society, protecting the ideological foundation and political regime of the country, building ethics, lifestyle and comprehensively developing the personality of Vietnamese people; contributing to training human resources, nurturing talents, and forming a learning society. Publishing is also a cultural industry, contributing to the overall achievements of the national economy.

According to statistics, in 2024, the country had 57 publishing houses that published 51,443 books, with a total of 597 million copies printed. The e-publishing sector has made remarkable progress, with 54.3% of publishers participating, an increase of 29.1% over the previous year. These positive figures show that, in the new context, with fierce competition from audio-visual media and social networks, the publishing industry has been active, proactive in innovating and creating for development.

Taking Vietnamese publishing to new heights

The national scientific conference “Orientation for the development of Vietnamese publishing in the digital age” focused on clarifying core theoretical issues on digital transformation, development trends of the publishing industry and international lessons for Vietnam; requirements on the quality of human resources and the application of artificial intelligence in publishing activities; analyzing the current situation and proposing orientations and systems of key, breakthrough, strategic viewpoints and solutions for the development of the Vietnamese publishing industry in the coming time.

Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Dung gave a presentation. Photo: M.Chi

Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Dung commented that in the context of strong international integration and digital transformation, the Vietnamese publishing industry is facing an urgent need to comprehensively innovate both its organizational model and operating methods. From a traditional production industry, publishing needs to strongly transform itself into a modern technological and commercial environment, aiming to form large-scale publishing corporations and groups with sufficient capacity to compete in the region.

According to Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Dung, to achieve that goal, the industry needs breakthrough solutions in planning, capital mobilization, human resource training and promoting technology application. The model of parent company - subsidiary, or closed publishing - printing - distribution complex, harmoniously combining book publishing, press and cultural services, is considered an inevitable trend of modern publishing. This is also the path to help the Vietnamese publishing industry integrate deeply and enhance its position in the digital age.

Director - Editor-in-Chief of Science - Technology - Communication Publishing House Tran Chi Dat gave a speech. Photo: M.Chi

Director - Editor-in-Chief of Science - Technology - Communication Publishing House Tran Chi Dat commented that digital transformation is creating profound changes in the entire value chain of the publishing and distribution industry in Vietnam. This process not only helps shorten the production process, optimize costs and improve management efficiency, but also expands the distribution space, spreading Vietnamese knowledge more strongly to the public at home and abroad.

According to Dr. Tran Chi Dat, new publishing models such as e-books, audiobooks, print-on-demand or multi-channel publishing are gradually shaping a new face for the modern publishing industry. However, to promote the effectiveness of digital transformation, the industry still needs to quickly overcome limitations in high-quality digital human resources, lack of synchronization in technology infrastructure and the still widespread copyright infringement.

The presentations at the workshop unanimously agreed that digital transformation and the application of scientific and technological achievements are inevitable trends, and at the same time, an opportunity for the Vietnamese publishing industry to develop to new heights, becoming one of the spearheads of the national cultural industry. To do that, it is necessary to raise awareness at all levels, sectors, and localities about the role of publishing activities. Clearly define that investment in publishing is investment for the future, for the foundation of sustainable development of the country.

According to the Organizing Committee, the presentations and opinions of the delegates are an important basis for building orientations and solutions for developing the Vietnamese publishing industry in general, and publishing theoretical and political books in particular, in the era of national growth and international integration.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/xuat-ban-trong-ky-nguyen-so-huong-tro-thanh-mui-nhon-cua-cong-nghiep-van-hoa-719201.html