Govn’t decree regulates VNA functions and structure

The VNA is managed by the Ministry of Information and Communications in terms of press, broadcasting and television. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) is a Governmental agency which is responsible for providing official information and documents of the Party and State, according to a recently released Government Decree.

Decree No 118/2017/NĐ-CP also regulates that the VNA provides information in service of the Party leadership and State management; and collect and provide news through various forms of press and multimedia for mass media agencies, the public and readers of all kinds at home and abroad.

The VNA is managed by the Ministry of Information and Communications in terms of press, broadcasting and television.

The VNA is also responsible for collecting and compiling information for public consumption and reference via various forms of media and multimedia in service of the Party leadership and State management; announcing official viewpoints of the State on “hot” issues; adjusting direction regarding information that is not in line with national interests; correcting wrongful information; and issuing announcements to reject distorted information when necessary.

Performing its function as a key national external news agency, the VNA collects, compiles and provides information about Việt Nam in different languages for domestic agencies and organisations and foreign media outlets as well as for foreigners and Vietnamese people abroad.

The VNA is also tasked with providing information and publishing news materials for ethnic minority people in their languages.

It is in charge of archiving information, building an information and data bank and managing national photo materials; and providing information and co-ordinating with relevant agencies to provide information in services of national security and defence.

VNA structure

According to the decree, the VNA has a system of news units including the Domestic News Department, the World News Department and the Press Photography Department. It also has several newspapers, both print and online, including the Viet Nam News, Le Courrier du Vietnam and Vietnam  Plus. The VNA has representative offices for the South and the Central and Central Highlands regions, in cities and provinces nationwide as well as major cities worldwide.

It also has news support units including the VNA Technical Centre, the VNA Training Centre, the VNA Media Development Centre, the VNA Informatics Centre and the VNA International Co-operation Centre, and five consultancy and functional units to assist the VNA General Director.

The VNA has a General Director and a maximum of four Deputy General Directors.

The VNA General Director and Deputy General Directors are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister in line with laws. — VNS