Workshop talks strengthening of soft power

The event, organised by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, was among activities celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam - Australia diplomatic relations this year.

Opening the workshop, Le Hai Binh, Standing Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee for External Information Service, said that, to guarantee national interests and promote their influence, stature, and prestige in the international arena, many countries are working to enhance their influence via cultural, political, social values and foreign policies.

Amid the fourth Industrial Revolution with the appearance of new communication methods like the internet and social media, international influence has even more space, environment, and instruments to grow and spread.

In that trend, the governments of many countries are stepping up the application of information technology, digital technology, and new means of media, especially social networks, to national and global governance.

Binh noted that aside from a judicious and appropriate foreign policy, Australia’s influence derives from a cultural uniqueness, developed economy with high competitiveness, and advanced education. Facing the boom of modern media means, the Australian Government has grasped the new situation and issued suitable policies, he added.

At the workshop, participants listened to speeches about Vietnam and Australia’s policies on strengthening its international influence and building national brands amid the surge of new media means, the initiative to build a database system for popularising Vietnam’s images in cyberspace, and Australia’s initiative to carry out the public diplomacy strategy.

They also discussed the role of international media in promoting national influence, digital diplomacy towards the building of a sustainable world, the effectiveness and reform of the implementation of the public diplomacy strategy, strong and weak points of modern media means, the effectiveness and impacts of digital diplomacy, and the issue of ethics in the era of digital diplomacy.