Cambodian MP: VNA is a bridge connecting the two peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia

Senior CPP official Khieu Kanharith emphasized that many Cambodian officials in the 1980s received journalism training from VNA, creating a foundation for their later political and leadership careers.

80 years ago, on September 15, 1945, Vietnam News Agency - the name penned by Uncle Ho - broadcast the full text of the Declaration of Independence along with the list of the provisional government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

That sacred moment has become the Traditional Day of Vietnam News Agency, the predecessor of today's Vietnam News Agency (VNA), along with a proud journey associated with the 80-year journey of founding the modern nation of the Vietnamese people.

In a recent meeting with VNA reporters in Phnom Penh on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 1945) and the 80th anniversary of VNA's establishment (September 15, 1945 - September 15, 2025), Mr. Khieu Kanharith, direct Supreme Advisor to the King, Member of the National Assembly , Member of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), former Minister of Information of Cambodia, shared his personal perspective on the 80-year journey of VNA, the popular name of the local press, also the international transaction name of the national news agency of Vietnam, in the proud journey of more than a century of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism.

Congressman Khieu Kanharith expressed his admiration for the thinking and vision of President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam in promoting and correctly positioning the role of the press in the past struggle for independence, as well as in the cause of building and defending the country today.

Looking back at history, senior CPP officials said that without a strong enough information and communication system, it would have been very difficult for Vietnam to rally international public opinion to support itself and win during the previous resistance wars against France and the US.

He recalled the lyrics of the famous song “The Ballad of Ho Chi Minh” by British musician Ewan MacColl, saying that people all over the world at that time had formed a widespread movement, chanting the slogan “Ho-Ho-Ho Chi Minh.” And thanks to information, this chant and message had spread everywhere.

VNTTX telegraph operator stopped in Trang Bang (Tay Ninh) to relay to the base the news of the surrender of the puppet President Duong Van Minh, April 30, 1975. (Photo: VNTTX)

According to the direct Supreme Advisor to the King of Cambodia, knowing how to use the press system to serve the resistance mission is an indispensable factor in the revolutionary process in Vietnam, associated with the writings of President Ho Chi Minh, inspiring everyone to spread news about the resistance movement to save the country.

He stated his opinion: “Without a strong press system, it would be difficult for us to gather and unify the thoughts, ideas and actions of the people, as well as to mobilize the support of international public opinion, to gather a source of encouragement from outside. Therefore, I would like to express my admiration and respect for the thinking and vision of President Ho Chi Minh, as well as the Communist Party of Vietnam.”

Mr. Khieu Kanharith served as Cambodia's first Minister of Information in the 1990s, then continued in this role for the last five terms, from 2003 to 2023.

This senior CPP official said that since his early days working in the press field, he has seen that VNA always has cadres and employees who are proficient in their profession and have made great contributions to the building and development of Cambodian journalism.

Former Minister of Information of Cambodia shared: “In 1979 and the 1980s, most of our cadres and officials did not study journalism, they were all trained by our Vietnamese friends. Later, many of them became high-ranking officials. All thanks to our learning from Vietnam.”

Mr. Khieu Kanharith shared many impressions and memories from his visits and work in Vietnam in the 1980s.

During the resistance wars to unify and defend the Fatherland, the VNA’s team of journalists were truly journalist-soldiers. In the photo: Comrade Tran Trung Son urgently reported victory news to the News Agency in 1970. (Photo: VNA)

When visiting printing factories at that time, he realized that although the country was still poor and faced many difficulties, Vietnam still paid attention and invested in journalism, organizing printing and publishing publications in many languages ​​such as French, Spanish...

Believing that this contributed to the strength of rallying people, both at home and abroad, intellectuals as well as ordinary people in the resistance war against foreign invaders and in building the country, he emphasized: “Vietnam knows how to use appropriate language for each class of people such as farmers, workers, intellectuals, as well as the international community, through the voice of the Party. If we do not organize the press information system well, we cannot do that. That is something that needs to be learned.”

Besides, MP Khieu Kanharith also highly appreciated the role of VNA in performing the functions and tasks of a national news agency, which has always been focused on and promoted by the Vietnamese government in every stage of the country's development.

He cited the fact that VNA produces information in many languages ​​and has representative offices in many countries, showing that Vietnam always pays due attention to information work.

He stated: “VNA can be considered as the unofficial Embassy of Vietnam. That is a very important point because with its role, VNA can convey information from everywhere, can meet, exchange information, as well as receive many different sources of information.”

VNA is currently the press agency with the most products and types of information in the country, becoming a reliable and responsive information channel to the public at home and abroad. (Photo: VNA)

From that perspective, the senior CPP official noted another important point, which is the foreign affairs role of VNA reporters working abroad.

The former Cambodian Minister of Information explained: “Sometimes journalists play a role that goes beyond that of a journalist, in expressing and introducing to the world, letting them know about the struggle of the Vietnamese people, about the friendship of the Vietnamese people, as well as mobilizing and gathering international support for the Vietnamese people.”

MP Khieu Kanharith wished VNA further growth and development; at the same time, expressed his hope that VNA would continue to be a solid bridge connecting the people of the two neighboring countries of Cambodia and Vietnam.

“We cannot tell each other every story, but through information and communication, we can listen to each other, know about each other and understand each other better. That is a solid bridge that cannot be broken,” said a senior CPP official./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nghi-sy-campuchia-ttxvn-la-nhip-cau-ket-noi-hai-dan-toc-viet-nam-campuchia-post1061606.vnp