On the occasion of the 86th anniversary of the Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day, Reporter Quynh Chi is granted an interview with Dr Doan Duy Khuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), on the cause of VCCI’s press development laden with the task of supporting the business community.
Could you please tell us what have newspaper publications administered by the VCCI done to promote VCCI’s propaganda task in support of the business community in the past time?
We are living in a changing world and this offers us both challenges and opportunities. Among challenges, the speed of change is faster and faster, driven by the development of science and technology. Competition is not only limited on corporate and national level but also on regional and global level.
Challenges also give rise to many risks. For example, financial and monetary crisis in economic aspect; impacts on the poor in social aspect; natural resource depletion, environmental pollution and climate change in environmental aspect; conflicts and disputes on security, politics and border aspects are complicating the world development trends, making them more difficult to forecast.
Opportunities are the exceptional development of science and technology, particularly the very fast progress of internet; new products; new markets; and worldwide cooperation.
The press is tasked with the mission of propagandising and supporting information about above opportunities and challenges to readers and assisting the business community to understand those changes, overcome challenges and grasp opportunities. Then, it directs enterprises to positive changes and contributes to the sustainable economic development and national prosperity.
At the VCCI, two core propaganda aspects that all newspapers and publications administered by the VCCI must focus on.
International affairs
First, [our newspaper publications pass on] information about scientific advances, international economic integration, especially programmes Vietnam has already, and prepared to, negotiated or signed. You can easily find these contents on the Vietnam Business Forum Newspaper.
Second, forecasts and recommendations on changing trends on international markets are the information updated on the online information portal
www.vccinews.com.
Third, continuous changes of the world give rise to more risks. Thus, information about sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, collaboration, partner seeking and competitiveness strengthening are always updated. The Vietnam Business Forum Magazine puts the accent on such information.
Fourth, issues and stories about corporate culture, businesspeople as well as business experiences and lessons business are regularly published on Photo World Magazine, Vietnam Business Forum Magazine, Vietnam Business Forum Newspaper, etc.
Domestic affairs
First, propagandising State and Party policy issues, social and economic development plan - strategy for 2011-2020 period, issues related to rapid and sustainable economic development as stated in the 11th National Party Congress’s Resolution "Vietnam strives to become a basically modern industrialised nation by 2020; political and social stability, consensus, democracy and discipline are strengthened; material and spiritual life of the people are markedly improved; independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity are maintained; the position of Vietnam on the international arena continues to be uplifted; and a solid foundation needs to be created for the development in the following period.”
Second, covering issues related to competitiveness improvement, regional linkage.
Third, propagandising issues concerning sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, valuable models, experiences and lessons, especially raising the awareness of businesses and businesspeople on these issues.
It is undeniable that information that VCCI-affiliated newspaper publications have passed on businesses in the past time is very useful. However, such information is not enough relative to enterprises’ demand. What is your opinion about this?
VCCI-affiliated press, like other economic newspapers, always portrays a clear picture of policies, activities and business environment, etc. Besides, impacts of macroeconomic policies on every field are also analysed very thoroughly. From these sources of useful information, companies can capture and have relatively accurate understanding of business operations in their enterprises to make their business strategies more realistic and appropriate to the business environment.
However, in reality, Vietnamese companies, mainly SMEs, are incapable of forecasting, researching or analysing information; thus making forecasts and recommendations in support of enterprises is very important. Therefore, VCCI newspapers, like the rest in the country, need to add more effort to produce forecasting and risk-analysing information, publish solutions put forth by both domestic and foreign economic experts, and focus on informing regional business development plans and international cooperation programmes, etc. Such information must be quick, timely, clear and adequate to support enterprises to draw up business strategies, especially during the current tough period. If these jobs are done well, the role of the press in the economic and social development will be strengthened and increasingly acknowledged.
To enhance propagandising effects, what aspects do newspapers affiliated to the VCCI need to focus on?
There are five areas that newspapers under VCCI need to focus on propagandising. The first facet is macroeconomic policies, legal issues, feedbacks from the business environment, and recommendations from enterprises, etc. These are essential and important information not only for enterprises and entrepreneurs in the country but also individuals and organizations in foreign countries, and all people.
The second is international economic integration programmes, Vietnam business forums with other countries through the cooperation of the VCCI, updated information on activities of Vietnamese delegations relating to trade promotion in foreign countries, business cooperation talks, trade barriers and solutions, tax laws and experience in doing business in foreign markets, etc.
The third is sustainable development issues. This issue is really very important to businesses and the economy in the current period.
The fourth is information about large events and conferences in honour of Vietnamese enterprises and in support of gathering them.
The last is corporate culture issues. Outstanding entrepreneurs, valuable business lessons, challenging but successful business stories, or even simply witty jokes by outstanding entrepreneurs are also useful information for many enterprises.
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