Hanoi (VNA) – A delegation from the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, held talks in Hanoi on February 24 with a visiting delegation from the Russian news agency TASS, headed by Director General Andrey Kondrashov.
Welcoming the Russian delegation at VNA headquarters, Trang described TASS as a major news agency with more than 120 years of tradition and a strong standing in the international media landscape, noting its close relationship with VNA. She said the visit was a result of a meeting between the two agencies’ leaders in China in December last year on the sidelines of the 57th Executive Board Meeting of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA).
Reviewing the history of cooperation since the two agencies formally established ties in 1958, Trang said VNA always remembers the support provided by TASS during the war and in the early years following national reunification, particularly in personnel training and the provision of equipment to support its information mission.
The current cooperation agreement builds on that tradition while incorporating updated content suited to the modern media environment. TASS sources, she noted, are effectively utilised by VNA for both public news services and reference materials.
Journalist exchanges have been maintained regularly, with VNA correspondents in Moscow receiving support from TASS colleagues. The two sides have also coordinated in organising photo exhibitions on Vietnam-Russia relations during high-level visits. VNA continues to publish information in Russian, including news dispatches and photo publications, promoting Vietnam’s achievements and bilateral ties with Russia.
In the new phase of development, the VNA General Director proposed expanding cooperation beyond political reporting to include socio-economic issues, green development, digital transformation, the application and governance of artificial intelligence, human resources development, and the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values.
She suggested that the two agencies increase cross-posting of content on each other’s media platforms and social networks to amplify official sources, strengthen joint work in photography and video production, and establish coordination mechanisms to detect and address false information.
She proposed that each side send two reporting delegations annually to the other country, including one joint team to produce multimedia content. The agencies would also continue to organise photo exhibitions and publish special editions on the occasion of high-level visits and major anniversaries in Vietnam-Russia relations, while maintaining support for resident correspondents and holding both in-person and online professional training and exchange activities.
For his part, Kondrashov said the close relationship between TASS and VNA stands as a vivid testament to the traditional friendship between the two countries.
Agreeing with Trang’s suggestions for cooperation, the TASS Director General said the two agencies share many similarities and possess considerable potential for deeper collaboration. Beyond journalist exchanges, he recommended the sharing of professional expertise in modern journalism and joint efforts to combat fake news, contributing to the quality and credibility of information worldwide.
Kondrashov took the occasion to extend an invitation to Trang to attend the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
At the conclusion of their talks, the leaders of VNA and TASS signed a professional cooperation agreement, marking a new stage in relations between the two news agencies./.
