llcttt1994dientu@gmail.com 
02438348033 Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Fight Against Wrong Views on the Party in the New Situation
| Thi Ngoc Hoa NGUYEN | ngochoaajc1976@gmail.com | Academy of Journalism and Communication |
Abstract:
Keyword:
Enhancing, Effectiveness, Fight Against Wrong Views
Content:
1. Fighting against wrong views about the Party in the past
After decades of failure in implementing antagonistic policies through various types of sabotage, enemies of the State are changing their methods of operation. Their ultimate goal is to abolish the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), depoliticize and neutralize the military, and move toward the abolition of socialism in Vietnam. To this end, these malevolent forces continue to spread false theories by attacking the Party’s ideological foundation of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought. They claim that a socialist-oriented market economy will not create national unity, and that Vietnam will become isolated in the international arena. Furthermore, they claim that the CPV has chosen the wrong path, and socialism is impossible as “socialism is the transition from poor socialism to capitalism”, “capitalism has realized the dream of socialism,” and “capitalism can solve all problems of human life.” They perpetuate the view that “Marxists are talking about the successes of socialism which are non-existent.”
Attacking the leadership of the CPV, hostile forces demand the abolition of Article 4 of the Constitution and the institution of a multi-party system. Anti-communist forces focus on criticizing the organization and principles of the CPV, especially the principle of democratic centralism. They continuously accuse the CPV of usurping people’s rights, violating democracy, and infringing on human rights. They believe the CPV is an “authoritarian, party- ruled exercise”, a dictatorship, and a bureaucratic domination by the elite. They theoretically and incorrectly divide the Party and the State, or more explicitly the Party, the State, and the people. Recently, it has been claimed that the CPV had fulfilled its historical task of national liberation and reunification and so it is no longer suitable to lead the country into the future. Enemies of the country have attempted to deny the leadership of the CPV by opposing the Party’s views and agenda. They demand the Party be removed from its role of leadership and claim that “abandoning the Party’s monopoly in leadership is the key to democracy.”
During the process of its revolutionary leadership, the CPV has always emphasized it is in a constant fight against belligerent and hostile views. Resistance to outside interference is considered an important part of the ideological and theoretical work of the Party. Over the past decades, the Party and State have issued many documents to handle this aggressive onslaught. One such document is Resolution No. 16/NQ-TW of the Party Central Committee (10th tenure) on ideological, theoretical, and journalistic work in response to emerging requirements. Another document is Directive No. 34-CT/TW dated April 17, 2009 and released by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee (10th tenure). Directive No. 34 directs attention to strengthening the fight against the “peaceful evolution” conspiracy and other disruptive activities in the field of ideology and culture regarding resolutions of the Party Congresses. Notably, in the Resolution of the 4th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (12th tenure) its mission was defined as “effectively fighting against and refuting the wrong views and distorting statements of hostile forces, reactionaries, opportunistic elements, and political discontents against the Party, State, and the great national unity bloc.”
To institutionalize the Party’s views and policies, the National Assembly has enacted several pieces of legislation, such as the Law on Cybersecurity 2018, the Law on the Press 2016, and the Law on Publishing 2012. These are fundamental legislations designed to prevent and fight the propagation of false and hostile views. Therefore, many measures have been synchronously implemented over the past years to fight and rigorously prevent activities which spread wrong and hostile views toward the State. The court has been authorized to strictly handle those who propagated disinformation and distortions against the State. The authorities have strengthened management of the press, the Internet, and publications. Most importantly, it has required international media corporations, such as Google and YouTube to remove clips and accounts with harmful and malicious content. Through different cooperative channels and authorized Government agencies, the State has conveyed the policies and many achievements of Vietnam’s socio-economic development. It has ensured its support of human rights to the international community and the overseas Vietnamese communities. These actions have contributed to reducing misinformation by combating oppositional reactionary and hostile claims towards Vietnam.
In spite of many substantial results, there remain some shortcomings. For example, the fight against wrong views has not always been timely. In hindsight the State’s resistance proved insufficiently theoretical and practically grounded. In short, the previous effort was not robust. Moreover, a poorly designed approach to the format and content of this ideological struggle does not provide people with sufficient information. Thus, it fails to improve people’s knowledge, and limits the formation and direction of a healthy society. In this regard, it fails to promote a unified consensus of the people’s ideology, politics, and actions. As an example, rapid responses are not expeditiously awarded. False information and views are not promptly challenged either. In the end there is a lack of oversight of national news organizations to fight against crimes, corruption, waste, and other social evils.
A few agencies are not active in their participation, failing to provide timely information, to gather information and organize positive and official information to combat the onslaught of false, fabricated, slanderous, and reactionary information on the Internet and social media. Some agencies do not explore and make full use of software utilities in monitoring digital information, social media, and other forms of intercommunication on the Internet to fulfill their obligations. The importance of preserving and promoting Vietnam’s cultural traditions while simultaneously absorbing the world’s culture has not been regularly executed. Moreover, agencies have not performed well in forecasting and directing social development which discourages the promotion of the country’s exceptional socio-economic development.
Promoting Vietnam’s visibility in the global community by highlighting its internal stability and development are still limited. Improvement in this one area would elevate Vietnam’s prestige, position, and influence in Southeast Asia and the world. Publicizing news and information about Vietnam abroad while introducing information about the rest of the world into Vietnam is not always smooth and effective. The negative effects of false and misleading information by opportunistic and hostile forces have not been effectively prevented due to the low quality of the information published throughout the world.
Information that has been disseminated has not always followed Party guidelines or newly mandated State legal policies, thus affecting important international and domestic situations on both sides of the equation. Political and socio-economic activities at local and grassroots levels in Vietnam frequently receive no publicity. Evolving forecasts and the development of social trends are frequently not proactive and timely. Consequently, opportunities are missed to promote Vietnam’s positive educational, humanitarian, and forward-thinking creation of public policy which reflects the Vietnamese people’s best interests.
There is also a lack of effective and updated information to communicate and promote the image of the country and people of Vietnam. Again, this is another missed opportunity to improve the prestige, position, and influence of Vietnam in Asia and throughout the world. These opportunities are chances to promote Vietnam’s strength of national unity, seize the initiative of garnering support from the international community, and thereby build on the most favorable conditions for construction, protection, and development throughout the land.
In the past, the structure and capacity of mass media have not been developed as rapidly as they could have been, failing to benefit by resolutely moving towards industry-wise professionalism, with attention to quality, efficiency, and a modern sensibility. Attention to the structure and capacity of mass media would set a trend toward development of science and technology, information, and global communication. If effectively implemented, this advantage would improve the people’s right to access information, moving forward in line with the country’s socio-economic goals, and helping Vietnam to develop a world- class level of public information. Types of information, including internal and external information, have not been closely connected.
The rating of channels that broadcast the socialist political message to people in the remote, border, and island areas is less than 70%, while that in the rest of Vietnam is not yet 100%. The quantity of broadcast time of political information programs has been increased but not significantly. Major channels do not always broadcast 24 hours a day. The broadcasting time of local channels for political information has not reached 70% of the total broadcasting time within one day. So, in effect the length of self-produced programs is only 30% of the duration of local programming. Broadcasting channels mainly air foreign-produced programs, while focusing on international news, science, technology, sports, and entertainment. This total exceeds 30% of the total broadcasting time per day.(1)
2. Recommendations to intensify the fight against wrong views against the Party in the coming time
It is necessary to implement the following solutions in some degree in the years to come to increase the effectiveness of combating wrong views about the Party, to promote the role of the press and publishing in the renovation process, and to meet the increasing expectations of the people.
First, there is a long list of traditions unique to Vietnam that require repeated exposure. It is imperative to persistently maintain Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, the status of Vietnam’s national independence, socialism, and traditions of the Communist Party. Equally important, this list also includes maintaining the vibrancy of the working class and its trade union organizations, the Party’s Platform, Charter, and theoretical work. It includes interpreting the meaning, significance, goals, and tasks of the Party Congresses at all levels and the 13th National Party Congress. It is essential to raise awareness, responsibility, and actions for all of the many levels of sectors, cadres, civil servants, and citizens to implement the Party’s policies, the State’s laws on combining economic development with national defense and security to create a consensus in society. It is also necessary to bring forth the strength of the national unity bloc in economic construction associated with national defense and security. This will all contribute to the successful implementation of the two tasks set by the National Information Development Strategy by 2025 with a vision toward 2030 for building and defending the Fatherland.
Vietnam needs to promote communication and education in the glorious tradition of the Communist Party of Vietnam, while maintaining its focus on highlighting the Party’s great victories and lessons which matured during the revolutionary journey. Of special importance especially over the past 33 years of renovation of the country, Vietnam needs to keep its eyes on steadily clarifying the Party’s viewpoints, including its guidelines on building the working class, guidelines honed during its 89-year history of organizing Vietnam’s Trade Unions. The country must continue to assert that the proper leadership of the Party will always be the decisive factor for all future victories of the Vietnamese revolution and will also ensure effective operation of the Trade Union. It is essential to widely broadcast the Party’s views on the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030. These views aim to protect the Fatherland in the emerging world order, ensuring the preservation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on land, in the air, at sea, and in cyberspace.
By maintaining political security, social order and safety, each task will build toward the next, promptly reflecting the readiness of the local defense forces for military tasks, encouraging the activities of the people’s armed forces, and encouraging cadres and soldiers to perform their tasks with enthusiasm. It is necessary to continue educating the populace about the plots and deceptions of forces hostile to the country’s development while at the same time, creating support for fighting and suppressing both internally and externally conceived crime. It is also vital to publish articles and documents with informative content to fight against the omnipresent false and hostile views, thereby protecting the purity and correctness found in the science of Ho Chi Minh’s thought, as well as the Party’s guidelines on national security and defense.(2)
Second, the Party and Government should create conditions for socio- political organizations, especially the Vietnam Veterans’ Association to contribute ideas to building and protecting the Party, the Government, and socialism. This includes studying the Party’s guidelines and policies, the State’s laws, and the implementation of grassroots regulations for democracy. They can do this by contributing to building a clean foundation for the Party, the administration, and its agencies and units. Creating a social consensus in performing these tasks will contribute to ongoing national construction and defense. The Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association is responsible for instructing the subordinate associations by encouraging generations of veterans to preserve and promote the nature and tradition of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers,” drawing on their patriotic experience to participate in this strategy in coordination with the Youth Union and local military agencies. At the same time, those agencies can also assume the role of consulting local Party committees and authorities in gathering, educating, and encouraging former soldiers to preserve and promote the traditional nature of “Uncle Ho’s Army,” thus building on Vietnam’s famous grassroots movements.(3)
The Ministry of Information and Communications needs to review, amend, and supplement procedures, policies, and laws to facilitate the development of a variety of media. It should coordinate with the Central Commission for Communication and Education and the Central Organization Commission to build, perfect and renew the coordination of press management activities. It should collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies in finalizing policies to develop and manage publications, as well as to regulate foreign films and programs broadcast on television and the Internet. It also needs to coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as well as the Ministry of Finance to mobilize and balance their resources to implement the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030.(4)
Third, ministries and their agencies need to organize and direct the mainstreaming of the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030 into a detailed agenda with constructive plans for their respective ministries and branches. Those agencies should have a preliminary and final review of the implementation of the strategy in the field and scope of management under the guidance of the Ministry of Information and Communications, who can in turn summarize and report to the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Planning and Investment should develop procedures to mobilize domestic and foreign investment and streamline procedures to more effectively use these investments. The Ministry of Finance should allocate funds for the implementation of the Strategy under the provisions of law. The Ministry of Home Affairs should coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications to continue to arrange and perfect the model of organization and operation of information agencies and grassroots information systems.
The People’s Committees of the provinces and cities based on the National Information Development Strategy should implement a local information plan for development based on their practical situations. It is important to report to the Ministry of Information and Communications on a regular basis to deliberate on these issues in a timely manner and recommend measures to handle emerging problems. Functional agencies in charge of press and publishers should organize their agenda according to the viewpoints, goals, and orientations of the National Information Development Strategy. The Ministry of Information and Communication can then summarize and report these findings to the Prime Minister.(5)
Fourth, the heads of State agencies, Party organizations, and socio-political organizations at central and local levels, based on the Party’s directive, should assume the burden to responsibly instruct, supervise, and oversee the activities of the news agencies, publishing houses, and printing houses according to the licenses and laws issued by the State. Editors-in-chief of the news agencies, directors of publishing houses, and distribution organizations should be responsible for all activities of their organizations before the court. News agencies, publishing houses, and grassroots information units should coordinate to enhance the dissemination of the socio-economic development situation, the implementation of the Party’s lines and resolutions, the State’s laws and policies, the Government’s solutions and directions, particularly new procedures and policies to improve economic growth, and contribute to building an integral, tectonic, and resolute Government. Vietnam should diversify the formats and content of its communications in order to reach all people, with the result of contributing to raising people’s intellectual level, forming and orienting healthy public opinion, strengthening solidarity and unanimity on ideology, politics, and actions of the people, and by utilizing new and advanced technologies formed for the purpose of actively combating false and hostile views. It is vital to promote oversight and criticism of press agencies and to protest against their wrongdoings, corruption, waste, and social evils. At the same time, Vietnam should promote modern telecommunications and multimedia technologies to organize local information activities to provide useful information, orient public opinion, and raise people’s knowledge of how their government works. Finally, Vietnam should strengthen discipline, and decisively handle violations in the press, publishing and electronic information.(6)
Fifth, it is necessary to innovate the management of electronic information, social media, and other daily forms of communication to keep abreast of developments in information technology. By actively instructing and providing timely information to harness the flood of information, the country can get positive and official information to fight against false, fabricated, slanderous, and reactionary information on social networks and the Internet. By encouraging the exploitation and development of information utilities and gaining the advantages of electronic information, Vietnam can dutifully fulfill public interests. By developing various types of mass media the country can make a significant contribution to providing current knowledge, while forming and directing healthy public opinion. Through these methods the State can strengthen solidarity, and ideological, political, and spiritual unity among the people. Most importantly, it will create a national pride for all its citizens to take the fight to the purveyors of wrong and hostile views against Vietnam. The fight against corruption and its associated social evils; the preservation and promotion of national cultural traditions while absorbing the cultural essence of the world; all of these efforts will, in effect, position Vietnam for unprecedented social and economic development.
On the one hand, Vietnam should continue to promote the image of a stable and developed nation, thereby improve its prestige, position, and influence in the world by conveying cultural and economic information about Vietnam abroad while receiving information from the rest of the world. On the other hand, it is essential to minimize the negative effects of false information, accusations, and the distortions of opportunistic and hostile forces by improving the quality of Vietnam’s own information content, especially what is necessary for people’s daily life with a focus on the guidelines of the Party. This includes new legal documents and policies of the State; important international and domestic events; and local political, economic and societal activities. Through these methods Vietnam can actively fight false and distorted information and views.(7)
Sixth, the Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television, and broadcasting stations down the length of the country need to continue in-depth analysis, and promote the guidelines, and policies of the Party and State to improve the quality of the information and perform the functions of communication and faithful orientation of social opinions. In addition, news agencies should contribute to increasing the people’s knowledge, improve their cultural and spiritual life, and implement social democratization while attaching importance to the discovery and promotion of new models, positive examples, and exemplary actions of good people and good deeds. In this way they can give guidance on how to effectively and proactively participating in the fight against negativity and false views.(8)
It is essential to build a system of checking and deploy software to detect, collect, filter, and block false information in cyberspace. This system should while deploying a warning system, simultaneously route its information to a national control portal to block and filter access to false information by users. Vietnam also needs software to protect personal computer security when accessing the Internet, enable users to avoid security breaches when mistakenly or intentionally accessing pages with malicious, harmful, dangerous, and wrong content. On improving the capacity to detect, evaluate, and appraise harmful content on the Internet, it is vital to establish procedures to verify the content of false information flexibly and efficiently. By forming a network of trained specialists, Vietnam can counter false and hostile information in cyberspace. It is vital to urge telecommunications businesses and internet providers, especially mobile telecom providers, to promptly initiate technical measures to deal with sources of false information and to take action to review and report acts of abusing the mobile system to illegally spread spam and information against the Party and State.(9)
Reference:
(1) Prime Minister (2018), Decision No. 1497/QD-TTg dated November 8, 2018 by the Prime Minister approved National information development strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030.
(2) - Ministry of Information and Communications (2017), Circular No. 38/2017/ TT-BTTTT of the Ministry of Information and Communications dated December 13, 2017 guiding press agencies to develop programs and contents to disseminate national defense and security knowledge to the entire population.
- Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (2017), Guidance No. 84/HD-TLD dated January 20, 2017 of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on propaganda to celebrate major holidays in 2017.
- The Prime Minister (2017), Decision No. 13/QD-TTg dated January 6, 2017 of the Prime Minister approving the Project on propaganda and implementation of policies and laws on combining economic with national defense and security by 2020.
- Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (2009), Guideline No. 1534/HD-TLD dated September 14, 2009 of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on propagating party congresses at all levels to the 11th National Party Congress.
(3) Government and Central Vietnam Veterans Association (2010), Joint Resolution No. 01/2010/NQLT-CP-HCCBVN dated May 5, 2010 of the Government and the Central Vietnam Veterans Association promulgating the Regulation on cooperation between the Government and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterans Association.
(4), (5) The Prime Minister (2018), Decision No. 1497/QD-TTg dated November 8, 2018 of the Prime Minister approving the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision to 2030.
(6) Ministry of Information and Communication (2018), Decision No. 238/ QD-BTTTT dated February 13, 2018 of the Ministry of Information and Communications promulgating the Action Plan of the Ministry of Information and Communications to implement the Resolutions of the Fifth Conference of the 12th Central Committee.
(7) Ministry of Information and Communication (2016), Decision No. 352/ QD-BTTTT dated March 17, 2016 of the Ministry of Information and Communications on promulgating the Action Program to implement the Resolution of the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
(8) The Government’s Office (2007), Notice No. 67/TB-VPCP dated April 10, 2007 of the Government’s Office on the conclusions of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the meeting with the Voice of Vietnam.
(9) Ministry of Information and Communication (2017), Circular No. 38/2017/ TT-BTTTT of the Ministry of Information and Communications dated December 13, 2017 guiding press agencies to develop programs and contents to disseminate national defense and security knowledge to the entire population.
REFERENCE
1. Prof, Dr. Vo Van Hien, Recognizing false and hostile allegations to resolutely fight against and refute them, http://tuyengiao.vn/bao-ve-nen-tang-tu-tuong-cua-dang, updated on September 11, 2019.
2. Quoc An, Strengthening the prevention and combat of wrong and hostile views in the current situation, http://tuyengiao.vn/bao-ve-nen-tang-tu-tuong-cua-dang, updated on February 18, 2019.
Enhancing, Effectiveness, Fight Against Wrong Views
(1) Prime Minister (2018), Decision No. 1497/QD-TTg dated November 8, 2018 by the Prime Minister approved National information development strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030.
(2) - Ministry of Information and Communications (2017), Circular No. 38/2017/ TT-BTTTT of the Ministry of Information and Communications dated December 13, 2017 guiding press agencies to develop programs and contents to disseminate national defense and security knowledge to the entire population.
- Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (2017), Guidance No. 84/HD-TLD dated January 20, 2017 of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on propaganda to celebrate major holidays in 2017.
- The Prime Minister (2017), Decision No. 13/QD-TTg dated January 6, 2017 of the Prime Minister approving the Project on propaganda and implementation of policies and laws on combining economic with national defense and security by 2020.
- Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (2009), Guideline No. 1534/HD-TLD dated September 14, 2009 of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on propagating party congresses at all levels to the 11th National Party Congress.
(3) Government and Central Vietnam Veterans Association (2010), Joint Resolution No. 01/2010/NQLT-CP-HCCBVN dated May 5, 2010 of the Government and the Central Vietnam Veterans Association promulgating the Regulation on cooperation between the Government and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterans Association.
(4), (5) The Prime Minister (2018), Decision No. 1497/QD-TTg dated November 8, 2018 of the Prime Minister approving the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision to 2030.
(6) Ministry of Information and Communication (2018), Decision No. 238/ QD-BTTTT dated February 13, 2018 of the Ministry of Information and Communications promulgating the Action Plan of the Ministry of Information and Communications to implement the Resolutions of the Fifth Conference of the 12th Central Committee.
(7) Ministry of Information and Communication (2016), Decision No. 352/ QD-BTTTT dated March 17, 2016 of the Ministry of Information and Communications on promulgating the Action Program to implement the Resolution of the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
(8) The Government’s Office (2007), Notice No. 67/TB-VPCP dated April 10, 2007 of the Government’s Office on the conclusions of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the meeting with the Voice of Vietnam.
(9) Ministry of Information and Communication (2017), Circular No. 38/2017/ TT-BTTTT of the Ministry of Information and Communications dated December 13, 2017 guiding press agencies to develop programs and contents to disseminate national defense and security knowledge to the entire population.
REFERENCE
1. Prof, Dr. Vo Van Hien, Recognizing false and hostile allegations to resolutely fight against and refute them, http://tuyengiao.vn/bao-ve-nen-tang-tu-tuong-cua-dang, updated on September 11, 2019.
2. Quoc An, Strengthening the prevention and combat of wrong and hostile views in the current situation, http://tuyengiao.vn/bao-ve-nen-tang-tu-tuong-cua-dang, updated on February 18, 2019.
1. Fighting against wrong views about the Party in the past
After decades of failure in implementing antagonistic policies through various types of sabotage, enemies of the State are changing their methods of operation. Their ultimate goal is to abolish the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), depoliticize and neutralize the military, and move toward the abolition of socialism in Vietnam. To this end, these malevolent forces continue to spread false theories by attacking the Party’s ideological foundation of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought. They claim that a socialist-oriented market economy will not create national unity, and that Vietnam will become isolated in the international arena. Furthermore, they claim that the CPV has chosen the wrong path, and socialism is impossible as “socialism is the transition from poor socialism to capitalism”, “capitalism has realized the dream of socialism,” and “capitalism can solve all problems of human life.” They perpetuate the view that “Marxists are talking about the successes of socialism which are non-existent.”
Attacking the leadership of the CPV, hostile forces demand the abolition of Article 4 of the Constitution and the institution of a multi-party system. Anti-communist forces focus on criticizing the organization and principles of the CPV, especially the principle of democratic centralism. They continuously accuse the CPV of usurping people’s rights, violating democracy, and infringing on human rights. They believe the CPV is an “authoritarian, party- ruled exercise”, a dictatorship, and a bureaucratic domination by the elite. They theoretically and incorrectly divide the Party and the State, or more explicitly the Party, the State, and the people. Recently, it has been claimed that the CPV had fulfilled its historical task of national liberation and reunification and so it is no longer suitable to lead the country into the future. Enemies of the country have attempted to deny the leadership of the CPV by opposing the Party’s views and agenda. They demand the Party be removed from its role of leadership and claim that “abandoning the Party’s monopoly in leadership is the key to democracy.”
During the process of its revolutionary leadership, the CPV has always emphasized it is in a constant fight against belligerent and hostile views. Resistance to outside interference is considered an important part of the ideological and theoretical work of the Party. Over the past decades, the Party and State have issued many documents to handle this aggressive onslaught. One such document is Resolution No. 16/NQ-TW of the Party Central Committee (10th tenure) on ideological, theoretical, and journalistic work in response to emerging requirements. Another document is Directive No. 34-CT/TW dated April 17, 2009 and released by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee (10th tenure). Directive No. 34 directs attention to strengthening the fight against the “peaceful evolution” conspiracy and other disruptive activities in the field of ideology and culture regarding resolutions of the Party Congresses. Notably, in the Resolution of the 4th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (12th tenure) its mission was defined as “effectively fighting against and refuting the wrong views and distorting statements of hostile forces, reactionaries, opportunistic elements, and political discontents against the Party, State, and the great national unity bloc.”
To institutionalize the Party’s views and policies, the National Assembly has enacted several pieces of legislation, such as the Law on Cybersecurity 2018, the Law on the Press 2016, and the Law on Publishing 2012. These are fundamental legislations designed to prevent and fight the propagation of false and hostile views. Therefore, many measures have been synchronously implemented over the past years to fight and rigorously prevent activities which spread wrong and hostile views toward the State. The court has been authorized to strictly handle those who propagated disinformation and distortions against the State. The authorities have strengthened management of the press, the Internet, and publications. Most importantly, it has required international media corporations, such as Google and YouTube to remove clips and accounts with harmful and malicious content. Through different cooperative channels and authorized Government agencies, the State has conveyed the policies and many achievements of Vietnam’s socio-economic development. It has ensured its support of human rights to the international community and the overseas Vietnamese communities. These actions have contributed to reducing misinformation by combating oppositional reactionary and hostile claims towards Vietnam.
In spite of many substantial results, there remain some shortcomings. For example, the fight against wrong views has not always been timely. In hindsight the State’s resistance proved insufficiently theoretical and practically grounded. In short, the previous effort was not robust. Moreover, a poorly designed approach to the format and content of this ideological struggle does not provide people with sufficient information. Thus, it fails to improve people’s knowledge, and limits the formation and direction of a healthy society. In this regard, it fails to promote a unified consensus of the people’s ideology, politics, and actions. As an example, rapid responses are not expeditiously awarded. False information and views are not promptly challenged either. In the end there is a lack of oversight of national news organizations to fight against crimes, corruption, waste, and other social evils.
A few agencies are not active in their participation, failing to provide timely information, to gather information and organize positive and official information to combat the onslaught of false, fabricated, slanderous, and reactionary information on the Internet and social media. Some agencies do not explore and make full use of software utilities in monitoring digital information, social media, and other forms of intercommunication on the Internet to fulfill their obligations. The importance of preserving and promoting Vietnam’s cultural traditions while simultaneously absorbing the world’s culture has not been regularly executed. Moreover, agencies have not performed well in forecasting and directing social development which discourages the promotion of the country’s exceptional socio-economic development.
Promoting Vietnam’s visibility in the global community by highlighting its internal stability and development are still limited. Improvement in this one area would elevate Vietnam’s prestige, position, and influence in Southeast Asia and the world. Publicizing news and information about Vietnam abroad while introducing information about the rest of the world into Vietnam is not always smooth and effective. The negative effects of false and misleading information by opportunistic and hostile forces have not been effectively prevented due to the low quality of the information published throughout the world.
Information that has been disseminated has not always followed Party guidelines or newly mandated State legal policies, thus affecting important international and domestic situations on both sides of the equation. Political and socio-economic activities at local and grassroots levels in Vietnam frequently receive no publicity. Evolving forecasts and the development of social trends are frequently not proactive and timely. Consequently, opportunities are missed to promote Vietnam’s positive educational, humanitarian, and forward-thinking creation of public policy which reflects the Vietnamese people’s best interests.
There is also a lack of effective and updated information to communicate and promote the image of the country and people of Vietnam. Again, this is another missed opportunity to improve the prestige, position, and influence of Vietnam in Asia and throughout the world. These opportunities are chances to promote Vietnam’s strength of national unity, seize the initiative of garnering support from the international community, and thereby build on the most favorable conditions for construction, protection, and development throughout the land.
In the past, the structure and capacity of mass media have not been developed as rapidly as they could have been, failing to benefit by resolutely moving towards industry-wise professionalism, with attention to quality, efficiency, and a modern sensibility. Attention to the structure and capacity of mass media would set a trend toward development of science and technology, information, and global communication. If effectively implemented, this advantage would improve the people’s right to access information, moving forward in line with the country’s socio-economic goals, and helping Vietnam to develop a world- class level of public information. Types of information, including internal and external information, have not been closely connected.
The rating of channels that broadcast the socialist political message to people in the remote, border, and island areas is less than 70%, while that in the rest of Vietnam is not yet 100%. The quantity of broadcast time of political information programs has been increased but not significantly. Major channels do not always broadcast 24 hours a day. The broadcasting time of local channels for political information has not reached 70% of the total broadcasting time within one day. So, in effect the length of self-produced programs is only 30% of the duration of local programming. Broadcasting channels mainly air foreign-produced programs, while focusing on international news, science, technology, sports, and entertainment. This total exceeds 30% of the total broadcasting time per day.(1)
2. Recommendations to intensify the fight against wrong views against the Party in the coming time
It is necessary to implement the following solutions in some degree in the years to come to increase the effectiveness of combating wrong views about the Party, to promote the role of the press and publishing in the renovation process, and to meet the increasing expectations of the people.
First, there is a long list of traditions unique to Vietnam that require repeated exposure. It is imperative to persistently maintain Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, the status of Vietnam’s national independence, socialism, and traditions of the Communist Party. Equally important, this list also includes maintaining the vibrancy of the working class and its trade union organizations, the Party’s Platform, Charter, and theoretical work. It includes interpreting the meaning, significance, goals, and tasks of the Party Congresses at all levels and the 13th National Party Congress. It is essential to raise awareness, responsibility, and actions for all of the many levels of sectors, cadres, civil servants, and citizens to implement the Party’s policies, the State’s laws on combining economic development with national defense and security to create a consensus in society. It is also necessary to bring forth the strength of the national unity bloc in economic construction associated with national defense and security. This will all contribute to the successful implementation of the two tasks set by the National Information Development Strategy by 2025 with a vision toward 2030 for building and defending the Fatherland.
Vietnam needs to promote communication and education in the glorious tradition of the Communist Party of Vietnam, while maintaining its focus on highlighting the Party’s great victories and lessons which matured during the revolutionary journey. Of special importance especially over the past 33 years of renovation of the country, Vietnam needs to keep its eyes on steadily clarifying the Party’s viewpoints, including its guidelines on building the working class, guidelines honed during its 89-year history of organizing Vietnam’s Trade Unions. The country must continue to assert that the proper leadership of the Party will always be the decisive factor for all future victories of the Vietnamese revolution and will also ensure effective operation of the Trade Union. It is essential to widely broadcast the Party’s views on the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030. These views aim to protect the Fatherland in the emerging world order, ensuring the preservation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on land, in the air, at sea, and in cyberspace.
By maintaining political security, social order and safety, each task will build toward the next, promptly reflecting the readiness of the local defense forces for military tasks, encouraging the activities of the people’s armed forces, and encouraging cadres and soldiers to perform their tasks with enthusiasm. It is necessary to continue educating the populace about the plots and deceptions of forces hostile to the country’s development while at the same time, creating support for fighting and suppressing both internally and externally conceived crime. It is also vital to publish articles and documents with informative content to fight against the omnipresent false and hostile views, thereby protecting the purity and correctness found in the science of Ho Chi Minh’s thought, as well as the Party’s guidelines on national security and defense.(2)
Second, the Party and Government should create conditions for socio- political organizations, especially the Vietnam Veterans’ Association to contribute ideas to building and protecting the Party, the Government, and socialism. This includes studying the Party’s guidelines and policies, the State’s laws, and the implementation of grassroots regulations for democracy. They can do this by contributing to building a clean foundation for the Party, the administration, and its agencies and units. Creating a social consensus in performing these tasks will contribute to ongoing national construction and defense. The Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association is responsible for instructing the subordinate associations by encouraging generations of veterans to preserve and promote the nature and tradition of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers,” drawing on their patriotic experience to participate in this strategy in coordination with the Youth Union and local military agencies. At the same time, those agencies can also assume the role of consulting local Party committees and authorities in gathering, educating, and encouraging former soldiers to preserve and promote the traditional nature of “Uncle Ho’s Army,” thus building on Vietnam’s famous grassroots movements.(3)
The Ministry of Information and Communications needs to review, amend, and supplement procedures, policies, and laws to facilitate the development of a variety of media. It should coordinate with the Central Commission for Communication and Education and the Central Organization Commission to build, perfect and renew the coordination of press management activities. It should collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies in finalizing policies to develop and manage publications, as well as to regulate foreign films and programs broadcast on television and the Internet. It also needs to coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as well as the Ministry of Finance to mobilize and balance their resources to implement the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030.(4)
Third, ministries and their agencies need to organize and direct the mainstreaming of the National Information Development Strategy by 2025, with a vision toward 2030 into a detailed agenda with constructive plans for their respective ministries and branches. Those agencies should have a preliminary and final review of the implementation of the strategy in the field and scope of management under the guidance of the Ministry of Information and Communications, who can in turn summarize and report to the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Planning and Investment should develop procedures to mobilize domestic and foreign investment and streamline procedures to more effectively use these investments. The Ministry of Finance should allocate funds for the implementation of the Strategy under the provisions of law. The Ministry of Home Affairs should coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications to continue to arrange and perfect the model of organization and operation of information agencies and grassroots information systems.
The People’s Committees of the provinces and cities based on the National Information Development Strategy should implement a local information plan for development based on their practical situations. It is important to report to the Ministry of Information and Communications on a regular basis to deliberate on these issues in a timely manner and recommend measures to handle emerging problems. Functional agencies in charge of press and publishers should organize their agenda according to the viewpoints, goals, and orientations of the National Information Development Strategy. The Ministry of Information and Communication can then summarize and report these findings to the Prime Minister.(5)
Fourth, the heads of State agencies, Party organizations, and socio-political organizations at central and local levels, based on the Party’s directive, should assume the burden to responsibly instruct, supervise, and oversee the activities of the news agencies, publishing houses, and printing houses according to the licenses and laws issued by the State. Editors-in-chief of the news agencies, directors of publishing houses, and distribution organizations should be responsible for all activities of their organizations before the court. News agencies, publishing houses, and grassroots information units should coordinate to enhance the dissemination of the socio-economic development situation, the implementation of the Party’s lines and resolutions, the State’s laws and policies, the Government’s solutions and directions, particularly new procedures and policies to improve economic growth, and contribute to building an integral, tectonic, and resolute Government. Vietnam should diversify the formats and content of its communications in order to reach all people, with the result of contributing to raising people’s intellectual level, forming and orienting healthy public opinion, strengthening solidarity and unanimity on ideology, politics, and actions of the people, and by utilizing new and advanced technologies formed for the purpose of actively combating false and hostile views. It is vital to promote oversight and criticism of press agencies and to protest against their wrongdoings, corruption, waste, and social evils. At the same time, Vietnam should promote modern telecommunications and multimedia technologies to organize local information activities to provide useful information, orient public opinion, and raise people’s knowledge of how their government works. Finally, Vietnam should strengthen discipline, and decisively handle violations in the press, publishing and electronic information.(6)
Fifth, it is necessary to innovate the management of electronic information, social media, and other daily forms of communication to keep abreast of developments in information technology. By actively instructing and providing timely information to harness the flood of information, the country can get positive and official information to fight against false, fabricated, slanderous, and reactionary information on social networks and the Internet. By encouraging the exploitation and development of information utilities and gaining the advantages of electronic information, Vietnam can dutifully fulfill public interests. By developing various types of mass media the country can make a significant contribution to providing current knowledge, while forming and directing healthy public opinion. Through these methods the State can strengthen solidarity, and ideological, political, and spiritual unity among the people. Most importantly, it will create a national pride for all its citizens to take the fight to the purveyors of wrong and hostile views against Vietnam. The fight against corruption and its associated social evils; the preservation and promotion of national cultural traditions while absorbing the cultural essence of the world; all of these efforts will, in effect, position Vietnam for unprecedented social and economic development.
On the one hand, Vietnam should continue to promote the image of a stable and developed nation, thereby improve its prestige, position, and influence in the world by conveying cultural and economic information about Vietnam abroad while receiving information from the rest of the world. On the other hand, it is essential to minimize the negative effects of false information, accusations, and the distortions of opportunistic and hostile forces by improving the quality of Vietnam’s own information content, especially what is necessary for people’s daily life with a focus on the guidelines of the Party. This includes new legal documents and policies of the State; important international and domestic events; and local political, economic and societal activities. Through these methods Vietnam can actively fight false and distorted information and views.(7)
Sixth, the Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television, and broadcasting stations down the length of the country need to continue in-depth analysis, and promote the guidelines, and policies of the Party and State to improve the quality of the information and perform the functions of communication and faithful orientation of social opinions. In addition, news agencies should contribute to increasing the people’s knowledge, improve their cultural and spiritual life, and implement social democratization while attaching importance to the discovery and promotion of new models, positive examples, and exemplary actions of good people and good deeds. In this way they can give guidance on how to effectively and proactively participating in the fight against negativity and false views.(8)
It is essential to build a system of checking and deploy software to detect, collect, filter, and block false information in cyberspace. This system should while deploying a warning system, simultaneously route its information to a national control portal to block and filter access to false information by users. Vietnam also needs software to protect personal computer security when accessing the Internet, enable users to avoid security breaches when mistakenly or intentionally accessing pages with malicious, harmful, dangerous, and wrong content. On improving the capacity to detect, evaluate, and appraise harmful content on the Internet, it is vital to establish procedures to verify the content of false information flexibly and efficiently. By forming a network of trained specialists, Vietnam can counter false and hostile information in cyberspace. It is vital to urge telecommunications businesses and internet providers, especially mobile telecom providers, to promptly initiate technical measures to deal with sources of false information and to take action to review and report acts of abusing the mobile system to illegally spread spam and information against the Party and State.(9)
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