Foreign Ministry holds new-year meeting with foreign press agencies

Delegates at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang has wished that foreign press would continue partnering with Vietnam and covering every aspect of the country to the world.

During the ministry's annual meeting with correspondents and press assistants of foreign press agencies, along with cultural and press attachés of foreign representative agencies in Vietnam on the occasion of the new year of 2023 in Hanoi on December 16, Deputy Minister Hang thanked them for popularising Vietnam, its country, people and culture to the world.

At the event (Photo: VNA)

She also hailed foreign representative agencies and ambassadors for supporting the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s activities and external information service in 2022.

Reviewing the global situation in 2022, Hang said despite complicated political and economic developments in the region and the world; peace, cooperation and development are still major trends, reflecting common wishes and aspirations of the international community for a better future.

About Vietnam’s development, she said under the Party and State's leadership and direction, the COVID-19 pandemic has been basically under control. Travel activities have resumed while the economy has been fully opened. Its GDP growth is estimated at 8% this year, a 11-year record.

Ties between Vietnam and countries as well as international organisations have been strengthened with direct meetings bilaterally and multilaterally, especially those at high level right after the pandemic was controlled.

With trust and support of international friends, Vietnam was elected as Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly's 77th session and a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure. Economic diplomacy has promptly changed its status, from supporting disease prevention and control to safe adaptation for socio-economic recovery and development. In particular, vaccine diplomacy has succeeded beyond expectation, making Vietnam one of the six countries with the highest vaccine coverage rate globally, she said.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Over the past year, the ministry has continuously and regularly provided information for foreign reporters, successfully organised field trips to Vietnamese localities for press reporters and staff in charge of press in foreign representative agencies in Vietnam, contributing to promoting tourism and potential of localities to international friends, she added.

Participants at the event were delighted at seeing Vietnam return to its pre-COVID-19 life with direct meetings and exchanges resumed, enabling them to tighten ties with the ministry and Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities in particular to look to a better future next year./.