Deputy PM meets the press ahead of Lunar New Year hinh anh 1Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the meeting. (Source: VNA)

 Hanoi (VNA) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has lauded contributions of press agencies to promoting Vietnam’s image to the world over the past time.

Meeting with representatives of the press agencies on the threshold of the Lunar New Year in Hanoi on February 1, the official said 2017 is a successful year of external affairs.

Deputy PM and FM Minh said he was impressed by reporters’ professionalism, saying they have kept a close watch on events and overcome difficulties to provide information about Vietnam’s external affairs promptly and accurately.

He highlighted the local reporters’ role in popularizing thoroughly the activities of the APEC Year 2017 activities hosted by Vietnam, especially the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in November, central Da Nang city, thus spreading Vietnam’s image among international friends.

Many articles about APEC activities published by domestic press agencies were used by their foreign counterparts, he said, noting that the international media has also described 2017 as an outstanding year of Vietnam.

Besides, the domestic press agencies and their representative offices abroad have contributed to citizen protection, the official said.

Minh called on the press agencies, reporters and relevant units of ministries and agencies to continue accompanying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in foreign news services and cover the country’s external activities in a timely manner, contributing to realising the foreign policy of the Party and the State.-VNA
VNA