Although the Party General Secretary and State President is always very busy, he still spent his time receiving the PAN delegation and listening to PAN’s plan to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its first issue at his simple working office in Nguyen Canh Chan street, Hanoi.
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Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (in white shirt) talking with leaders of the People's Army Newspaper |
Below is the feelings of Editor of the PAN’s “Weekend” publication, Senior Colonel Nguyen Hong Hai, a member of the PAN delegation visiting Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong:
When the delegation of the PAN’s leaders and reporters arrived at his office, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong shook hands with each member of the delegation.
We all felt the leader’s sentiments toward us.
The leader of the country invited us to sit down next to him and started talking to us in a warm atmosphere. He said, “I have been a reader of the PAN for decades. I have always loved and trusted the newspaper. When my office informed me that the PAN is going to celebrate 70 years of its first issue, I told the office to arrange a meeting with leaders and PAN reporters.”
The leader continued asking the PAN’s Editor in Chief Senior Colonel Doan Xuan Bo about the newspaper’s staff, its information dissemination work, and its future development plan. He also inquired work of each member of the visiting delegation. During his talks, he turned his face toward Deputy Editor in Chief Senior Colonel Do Phu Tho and said, “I still remember Do Phu Tho. You often accompanied me when I went on overseas business as the National Assembly Chairman.”
He went on to say, “Later, when I became Party General Secretary, Nguyen Hong Hai and Nguyen Tan Tuan were the PAN’s reporters who often went with me.”
“I always read the PAN’s publications and find that articles on PAN’s publications are very good. The PAN’s publications convey guidelines, policies, resolutions of the Party, State, Government, and the National Assembly; analyze issues of public concern helping readers correctly learn the issues; and give up-to-date information to readers. All information given by the PAN’s publications is very correct, trustful, and up-to-date. As a PAN reader, I thank the PAN’s leaders, reporters, and workers for that,” the Party Secretary and State President stressed.
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Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong reading the special issue of the PAN's Weekend publication on the occasion of 70 years of its first issue |
On behalf of the leadership of PAN, Editor in Chief Doan Xuan Bo reported Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong on the 70-year tradition of PAN, its situation, its current missions, and its development plan.
“We all know that Party General Secretary, State President, and Secretary of the Central Military Commission Nguyen Phu Trong is a high-profile journalist. We hope that you will give us instructions on the development of the newspaper in the coming time.”
In a soft but clear voice, the country’s leader said, “It is widely known that the People’s Army Newspaper plays an important role in the Vietnamese revolutionary press. The country’s press and media are developing vigorously with various forms of print newspaper, e-newspaper, radio, TV and so on. But the role and mission of the PAN have not changed. The newspaper even becomes more important now in this context. The PAN is the newspaper of the heroic army and heroic nation so it should cover activities of the army as well as all aspects of life. It can be said that the newspaper has taken the lead in reflecting the national achievements in implementing the two strategic missions: country construction and national defense. Regarding orientations for the development of the newspaper in the coming time, the PAN should strictly follow its principle, functions and missions while drawing an increasing number of readers.”
The leader of the country shared difficulties with the PAN in such a fierce information competition, suggesting that the PAN should renovate both forms and contents of its information. All publications of the PAN should have the columns that no other newspapers could have so they can maintain a number of the readers who are interested in the columns.
He also underlined that the PAN should build an army of competent reporters who have firm political stance and good professional expertise.
The leader of the country reminded the PAN’s leadership of President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings to the Vietnamese revolutionary press.
During the meeting, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong also gave his opinions on several articles in the Special Issue of the PAN’s publication “Weekend” on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the PAN’s first issue.
Finally, he instructed that the PAN is the country’s leading political newspaper so it holds the responsibility of struggling against wrong political views, hostile forces’ “Peaceful evolution” strategy, manifestations of “Self-evolution” and “Self-transformation” inside the Party, contributing to protecting the Party’s ideological basis. He said, “The 13th National Congress is coming so hostile and reactionary forces are increasing activities against the Party on the cultural and ideological front. The Vietnamese revolutionary press, particularly the PAN, should focus on publishing high-quality press and media products to fight against their wrong views. Articles and reports should have strong arguments and clear evidence against their distorted information and allegations.”
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Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong wishing the PAN's personnel good health, success, and happiness |
The talks between the leader of the country and the PAN’s leaders and reporters took place in a sincere, frank, and cozy atmosphere. He treated us like his friends, and we discussed issues with him like our colleague.
At the end of the meeting, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong grasped the hands of the PAN’s Editor in Chief Senior Colonel Doan Xuan Bo for a while and said, “I wish you and all the staff of the PAN good health so as to better serve our Fatherland.”
On the way returning to the PAN’s headquarters, we all felt delighted at the top leader’s high appreciation of the newspaper and happy to work for the newspaper. We also committed ourselves to working harder and staying united in developing the newspaper so that it always deserves the trust of the Party and love of the armed forces and people, and preserves its position as a leading political newspaper in the country, the voice of the armed forces and people.
Written by Hong Hai
Translated by Thu Nguyen