Over the past 80 years, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has been growing continuously and affirmed its role as the national news agency.
Beyond being a leader in the domestic media network, the VNA has also become a respected international news agency, earning global recognition through its extensive partnerships, award-winning works, and steadfast presence in the world’s hotspots.
Expanding partnerships, strengthening influence
Throughout its 80-year journey, the VNA has always attached importance to international cooperation, seeing this as a pillar for development and integration. The agency currently maintains bilateral and multilateral ties with more than 40 major news agencies and press organisations across the globe and is a member of the Executive Board of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA). Its authoritative news is widely published across partner channels, contributing to the effectiveness of Vietnam’s external relations information.
VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang, speaking in an interview ahead of the 19th OANA General Assembly and related events in Saint Petersburg, Russia, from June 18 to 21 this year, emphasised: “As the nation’s key agency for external relations information, the VNA has always valued international integration in the information field and capitalised on the cooperation with countries to disseminate official information about Vietnam, conveying the country’s viewpoints and positions on international issues, both during the struggle for national independence in the past, as well as the current period of national construction and development as the country is taking firm steps towards a new era.”
Through international cooperation, the VNA has not only introduced Vietnam and its people to international friends, but also helped foster understanding, building trust, and enhancing friendship and cooperation among peoples for peace, stability, and development.
The piece titled “Bau vat truyen doi tu dan ong rung” (Beeswax: a Timeless Treasure From Wild Bees) by Quynh Trang, Bang Cao, and Luong Thu Huong of the VNA win the first prize in the article category at the OANA Awards 2024.
Many of the VNA’s journalistic works have been honoured with prestigious international awards, from press photography to modern multimedia products.
The first prize for photo reports at the OANA Awards 2024 goes to An Thanh Dat for his work titled “Doc dao vat cau nuoc lang Van” (The Unique Mud Ball Wrestling Festival in Van Village).
VietnamPlus, the online newspaper under the VNA, received the Best Innovative Digital Product award from the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) for its groundbreaking interactive 3D journalism project within the Digital Media Awards Asia 2025 (DMA), held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in April.
This marked the second time VietnamPlus had been honoured with a prestigious WAN-IFRA award. Previously, on September 28, 2014, the newsroom’s rap news bulletin (RapNewsPlus) won first place in the special “Digital First” category, which honours news providers with innovative measures to attract youth participation through mobile phones, tablets, and other electronic devices.
A project on fighting fake news by the VNA wins the top prize in the category “Best Project for News Literacy” within the framework of the Asian Digital Media 2020 Awards, presented by the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).
The agency won two first prizes at the OANA Awards 2024, as announced at the 54th Executive Board Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 17 this year. The first prize in the article category was awarded to the piece titled “Bau vat truyen doi tu dan ong rung” (Beeswax: a Timeless Treasure From Wild Bees) by Quynh Trang, Bang Cao, and Luong Thu Huong, while the first prize for photo reports went to An Thanh Dat for his work titled “Doc dao vat cau nuoc lang Van” (The Unique Mud Ball Wrestling Festival in Van Village).
These are vivid demonstrations of the capacity, mettle, and professionalism of VNA’s reporters and editors while affirming that Vietnam’s revolutionary journalism can stand shoulder to shoulder with international colleagues in terms of quality and professionalism.
Presence in global hotspots
With a network of 30 bureaus abroad across the five continents, the VNA maintains a correspondent force operating in most of the world’s key regions. A distinctive feature of the VNA’s development journey is the resilient and timely presence of reporters globally.
For generations of the VNA staff, whether working domestically or abroad, the mission of delivering timely, truthful, and accurate information has always been a leading priority.
Throughout the 80 years of development, the VNA’s reporters, editors, and technicians have been on the frontline of information. Across the five continents, VNA correspondents have ventured into conflict hotspots in the Middle East and North Africa, updated developments of horrific terrorist attacks in Europe, accompanied Vietnam’s rescue forces in supporting Turkish people after the devastating earthquake, and faced danger while reporting from COVID-19 zones. Courage, dedication, honesty, and devotion to the profession are traditions that generations of VNA journalists have upheld.
VNA reporters together with Vietnamese rescue forces support survivors of the devastating earthquake in Türkiye. (Photo: VNA)
I had to update breaking news while preparing evacuation plans, safeguarding office assets, and ensuring staff safety.
Journalist Vu Hoi, former chief of the VNA’s Tel Aviv bureau, RECALLED COVERING CLASHES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
A VNA journalist on mission in Tel Aviv – the Middle East flashpoint – in June 2025 (Photo: VNA)
Reporting from a war zone is not just about racing with bombs but also navigating strict security checks, permits, surveillance, and suspicion. Every word demands professionalism, ethics, and courage.
Overseas VNA correspondents have served as and will remain “messengers” helping the world have a better understanding of Vietnam while providing the country with comprehensive, up-to-date, and reliable information.
VNA: Reliable partner, reputable voice
The VNA’s efforts and contributions over the past eight decades have been recognised internationally and praised by foreign media leaders who described the agency as one of the most trustworthy and professional partners in Asia. Meanwhile, international and regional press organisations acknowledged the VNA’s activeness and sense of responsibility as seen in sharing information, promoting transparency, and bolstering journalism cooperation.
International colleagues value VNA reporters’ professional mettle in difficult conditions, honesty, objectivity, and dedication to the information mission, considering this clear evidence of its increasing credibility and stature in the global journalism community.
President of the Venezuelan News Agency (AVN) Pedro Ibanez affirmed that the VNA has played an increasingly important role in popularising the Vietnamese images around the world amidst the country’s international integration. Its substantial achievements and contributions during the development journey have become a model for many Latin American news agencies to learn from, including the AVN.
CEO of the Malaysian News Agency (Bernama) Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin held that the VNA is a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, actively contributing to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. The agency’s coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues has provided valuable perspectives.
Right: Chief of the VNA Bureau in Mexico Truong Phi Hung (second from left) presents a souvenir to Venezuela’s Deputy Minister of Communication and Information Simon Arrechide. (Photo: VNA)
In an interview granted to the VNA correspondents in Havana on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day, Cuban journalist Luis Manuel Arce Isaac affirmed that the VNA’s historical role deserves recognition, given its entire history of development as well as future contributions, as the agency is an essential tool for the world to understand everything Vietnam has experienced since the last century.
Dilbert Reyes Rodriguez, acting editor-in-chief of Granma – the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), expressed his impression of the VNA’s diversification of information channels to fulfil its mission of external communications, noting that the expanding reach has enabled VNA products to become a “weapon defending the truth” for the sake of the people while spreading the messages of peace, solidarity, and mutual support among nations.
Meanwhile, Samnieng Sengkhiyavong, Editor of the Vietnamese department at the Lao National Radio, perceived that the VNA’s news pieces are fast, timely, and rich. Its information about Laos is also diverse, covering business, investment, as well as policies of the two countries’ Parties and States. This has greatly helped with preserving and developing the special relations between Vietnam and Laos.
Affirming prestige, looking toward the future
Over the past 80 years, the VNA has firmly asserted its role as the nation’s key news agency and a credible and responsible member of the international journalism community. In the new development phase, it continues to accelerate digital transformation, apply modern technology, improve journalism product quality, expand international cooperation, and build a contingent of steadfast and intelligent reporters and editors living up to the agency’s mission of being a source of official information, a mainstream news flow, a strategic and trustworthy information supplier of the Vietnamese Party and State, and a prestigious voice in the international arena.
Photo series: Winning works of the Technology with Heart 2024 Award. (Source: Organising Committee)
The 80th founding anniversary is an occasion for the VNA to review its noble journey and affirm its determination to promote its glorious tradition, reach new heights, and make more practical and effective contributions to national construction and defence, as well as to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
At the ceremony to launch a special emulation campaign to mark the 80th traditional day (September 15, 1945–2025) on September 25 last year, VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang stated: “The VNA turns 80 with new responsibilities of a new period. We will continue our efforts to deliver the message about a Vietnam developing and ascending in the new era.”
“The VNA journalists are committed to keep exerting efforts to ensure that our reporting keeps pace with the heartbeat of global information flows, contributing to the country’s development in the new era.”
VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang
