Industry and Trade journalists at the frontline of information

During the 2021-2025 period, despite numerous challenges, the media agencies of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) not only fulfilled their role in information dissemination and communication but also proactively accompanied policymaking, guided public opinion, and helped build social consensus. These efforts made important contributions to the sector’s key achievements throughout the term.

The 2021-2025 period is regarded as a particularly challenging phase for the Industry and Trade sector, marked by global instability, the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, energy price volatility, and intensifying trade competition. In this context, demands for policy communication became increasingly high, requiring Industry and Trade media to be proactive, timely, and in-depth.

In response, media agencies under the MoIT comprehensively reflected key developments in industry, trade, energy, economic integration, and domestic and international market development. Industry and Trade journalism has served as an important information bridge between the Ministry, businesses, and the public, supporting the effective implementation of political and professional tasks assigned to the sector.

At the signing ceremony of the comprehensive media cooperation agreement between the Industry and Trade Newspaper and the MoIT units in January 2025, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized that the achievements recorded by the Industry and Trade sector during the period owed a significant and meaningful contribution to the Ministry’s press agencies.

Beyond reporting on management and administration, the Industry and Trade media played a role in fostering social consensus, helping businesses and citizens better understand Party and State policies and proactively accompany the sector in implementation. At the same time, the press served as a vital feedback channel, reflecting practical difficulties and bottlenecks, enabling the MoIT leaders to promptly grasp realities and adjust solutions accordingly.

Policy communication aligned with major decisionsA notable highlight of the 2021-2025 term was the consistent attention and direction given by the Party Committee and the MoIT leadership to communication work. Minister Nguyen Hong Dien repeatedly emphasized the need to place communication in its proper position within the overall operations of the sector, viewing it as an important tool supporting governance and management.

The principle that “communication must go ahead to set direction, go alongside to mobilize support, and follow up to review and draw lessons” was clearly internalized across the Industry and Trade media system. On that basis, numerous communication campaigns were implemented in a structured, focused manner, closely aligned with major programs and projects of the Ministry.

Key milestones such as the National Assembly’s passage of the amended Electricity Law, the completion of the 500kV Circuit 3 transmission line, and the restart of the nuclear power program in Ninh Thuan bore a strong imprint of MoIT journalism. In-depth and multi-dimensional coverage helped the public better understand the context, objectives, and significance of each policy decision, thereby fostering broad social consensus.

Alongside domestic coverage, the period also marked a clear renewal in the sector’s external communication efforts. During bilateral and multilateral working visits by Minister Nguyen Hong Dien and MoIT leaders, reporters from the Industry and Trade Newspaper and other sector media outlets directly accompanied delegations, providing timely information and on-the-ground reporting to domestic and international audiences.

Field reports and coverage of trade negotiations, market access, and economic cooperation helped ensure continuity in the sector’s external information flow, while clearly portraying the MoIT’s role in Vietnam’s international economic integration.

Transformation in content and format

Throughout the 2021-2025 term, Industry and Trade media agencies underwent a notable transformation in both content and format. The Industry and Trade Newspaper accelerated newsroom innovation, expanded multi-platform presence, strengthened in-depth reporting, and applied technology in content production.

From a ranking of 626, by December 2023 the electronic edition of the Industry and Trade Newspaper rose to the top 54, and currently ranks 24th among Vietnamese news outlets with the highest readership. The Industry and Trade Magazine, Industry and Trade Television, and the MoIT Portal also introduced significant innovations, bringing policy information closer to the public.

These efforts have been recognized by Party and State leaders as well as the journalism community. Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of the Nhan Dan Newspaper and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, noted that the achievements of the Industry and Trade sector not only contributed to economic growth but also inspired journalism development. Minister Nguyen Hong Dien affirmed that Industry and Trade journalism has adhered to its mission and steadily enhanced its standing within Vietnam’s press landscape.

Further strengthening the role of Industry and Trade journalism

Entering a new phase, expectations for Industry and Trade journalism are rising as Vietnam pursues stronger growth and deeper integration. The MoIT leadership has identified that journalism must not only reflect developments but also actively contribute to policymaking and implementation through information provision, policy critique, and solution proposals.

The Party Congress of the Industry and Trade Newspaper for the 2025-2030 term set out the goal of building the newspaper into a leading economic publication strong in economic policy analysis, modern in presentation, diversified in platforms, and sustainable in its economic foundation.

Development toward a digital newsroom model, with stronger application of technology and artificial intelligence, reflects a firm commitment to innovation and adaptation to communication demands in a new era. Similarly, other media agencies under the MoIT have also identified the need for comprehensive reform to further enhance the role and position of Industry and Trade journalism.