Circular No. 02/2019/TT-BTTTT guides the management of foreign information activities of Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines on managing foreign information activities of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies

Ministry, ministry-level agency, agency under the Government

Pursuant to Decree No. 17/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 17, 2017 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

Pursuant to Decree No. 09/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 9, 2017 of the Government detailing the issuance of statements and provision of information to the press by administrative state agencies;

Pursuant to Decree No. 72/2015/NĐ-CP dated September 7, 2015 of the Government on managing foreign information activities;

Pursuant to the proposal of the Director of the Foreign Information Center,

The Minister of Information and Communications promulgates these Guidelines on managing foreign information activities of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies based on the proposal of the Director of the Foreign Information Department.

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

These Guidelines provide guidance on managing foreign information activities of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies.

Article 2. Applicability

These Guidelines apply to ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-affiliated agencies (hereinafter referred to as ministries), relevant organizations, and individuals.

Article 3. Content of the Plan for Foreign Information Activities

Ministries shall base their plans for long-term, medium-term, and annual foreign information activities on the planning, programs, and plans of the Government; the economic and social development goals of the Government; guiding documents of the Ministry of Information and Communications; and the work programs of the ministries, including the following main tasks:

1. Assigning organizations or individuals responsible for implementing foreign information activities.

2. Drafting and issuing directives and management documents for foreign information activities.

 3. Organizing training and capacity building for staff involved in foreign information activities annually on the following key contents:

a) Implementation of regulatory documents on foreign information management.

b) Methods and skills in foreign information work.

c) Skills in issuing statements and providing information to the press.

d) International situation and foreign affairs activities of the Party and State.

đ) Vietnam's international integration situation and that of the ministry.

e) Situation of struggles and propaganda to protect maritime and island sovereignty, boundary demarcation, and management and maintenance of boundary markers of Vietnam; reactions of other countries to the South China Sea issue.

g) Dissemination of knowledge and enhancement of awareness about human rights; promotion of achievements in ensuring human rights in Vietnam and within the ministry.

h) Foreign information activities between Vietnam and neighboring countries and internationally of the ministry.

i) Dissemination of political situations, changes, and policy adjustments in countries in the region; results of past foreign information and propaganda work, and international public opinion feedback on promoting Vietnam's image.

4. Developing projects on foreign information activities to implement the following key tasks:

a) Information on the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws.

b) Information on the international situation and foreign affairs activities of the Party and State, and Vietnam's international integration situation.

c) Promotion of Vietnam's and the ministry's images.

d) Information on the ministry's activities, especially those of interest to domestic and international public opinion; clarification and refutation of false information affecting Vietnam's and the ministry's reputation and image.

đ) Propaganda to protect maritime and island sovereignty and national borders.

e) Other tasks as required by the ministry.

Article 4. Funding for external information activities

The funding for external information activities of Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies shall be guaranteed from the state budget according to the current state budget classification and other lawful financial sources. Annually, based on the external information activity plans assigned by competent authorities, relevant agencies and units shall prepare budgets for implementation, consolidate them into their own state budget estimates, submit them to the finance authority for provision, and present them to competent authorities for consideration and decision in accordance with the State Budget Law.

Chapter II
EXTERNAL INFORMATION ACTIVITIES

Article 5. Provision of Information for Promoting the Image of the Ministry

Information for promoting the image of the Ministry shall be provided through the following methods:

1. External activities of the Ministry.

2. The Ministry's website and specialized agencies' websites, in Vietnamese and foreign languages.

3. The system of data for promoting the Ministry's image.

4. Publications in Vietnamese and foreign languages.

5. Media products of domestic mass media outlets.

6. Products of foreign news agencies, press, and communication organizations.

7. Internet-based communication products.

8. Activities involving contact and cooperation with foreign press agencies.

9. Communication activities for major events organized domestically and internationally.

10. Other external information activity methods as prescribed by law.

 Article 6. Provision of Information for Explanation and Clarification

1. Information for explanation and clarification includes materials, documents, files, and arguments aimed at explaining, clarifying, and combating misinformation that affects the reputation and image of the Ministry.

2. Upon receiving misinformation affecting the reputation and image of Vietnam within their areas of management, or upon receiving a written request from the Ministry of Information and Communications, ministries shall proactively provide materials, documents, files, and arguments to the Ministry of Information and Communications and related agencies for coordination in managing and implementing information measures and propaganda to protect and enhance Vietnam’s reputation and image.

3. Materials, documents, files, and arguments for explanation and clarification shall include the following main contents:

a) Misinformation content and updates on the situation from the time misinformation was disseminated until the time of explanation and clarification.

b) The impact of misinformation on the reputation and image of the Ministry and the country.

c) The essence of the event or phenomenon being misrepresented.

d) Domestic and international legal bases, experiences, and precedents related to misinformation handling.

e) Proposals for media propaganda content and public opinion guidance.

4. Ministries shall proactively implement information and propaganda measures to protect and enhance the Ministry's reputation and image through the following forms:

a) Issuing press releases to explain and clarify misinformation; spokespersons of the Ministry and specialized agencies under the Ministry shall make statements and provide information to the press.

b) Sending representatives or spokespersons to attend press briefings organized by the Central Propaganda Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Journalists Association; monthly press conferences on human rights work and external information organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Government Human Rights Steering Committee to provide explanations and clarifications to press agencies when requested by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

c) Publishing explanations and clarifications on the Ministry's website and specialized agencies' websites; media products of news agencies, press, and other means, in Vietnamese and foreign languages.

d) Providing information for news agencies to explain, clarify, and combat misinformation.

5. Within a maximum of seven (07) days from receipt of notification from the Ministry of Information and Communications, ministries shall make statements and provide information for explanation and clarification, and simultaneously send such information to the Ministry of Information and Communications for monitoring, consolidation, and reporting to the Prime Minister.

6. Information containing state secrets must comply with laws on state secret protection.

Article 7. Foreign Information Data System of Ministries

1. The foreign information data system of ministries is a digitalized data system in Vietnamese and foreign languages, introducing the state management fields of the Ministry, providing to the international community and Vietnamese people both inside and outside the country.

2. The foreign information data system of the Ministry is the official source of information about the Ministry.

3. The foreign information data systems of ministries are integrated into the national database on foreign information.

4. Specialized units and press agencies under the ministries have the responsibility to provide information and promotional data to showcase the image of the Ministry through various media channels.

Article 8. Propaganda for Events Organized Abroad

1. Based on the government's foreign information activity plan or tasks assigned by the Prime Minister, ministries organizing events abroad are responsible for coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Communications to develop and implement the propaganda plan for the event.

2. The propaganda plan for events organized abroad includes the following main contents:

a) Time, location, scale, participants, head delegation level;

b) Purpose and content of activities;

c) Speech content of the Head Delegation, content of documents and cooperation agreements (if any); press releases;

d) Requirements and extent of propaganda information;

e) Coordination responsibilities of relevant ministries, sectors, and press agencies;

f) Conditions and guarantees.

3. At least fifteen (15) days before organizing the event, the leading ministry must notify in writing the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the approved propaganda plan and propose cooperation needs for external propaganda to unify implementation.

4. At least fifteen (15) days after the end of the event abroad, the leading ministry is responsible for reporting the results of the activities to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concurrently sending to the Ministry of Information and Communications, to serve as the basis for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister. For the organization of Vietnam Day abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for consolidating, evaluating, and annually reporting to the Prime Minister on the organization and effectiveness of Vietnam Day activities abroad.

Article 9. Support and Cooperation with News Agencies, Presses, Media, and Foreign Journalists

Ministries coordinate and support news agencies, presses, media, and foreign journalists legally operating in Vietnam to organize the implementation of foreign information products introducing and promoting the image of the Ministry and the country on domestic and international mass media.

Chapter III
MANAGEMENT OF FOREIGN INFORMATION ACTIVITIES

Article 10. Responsibilities of Ministries

1. Implementing the Party’s guidelines and State laws on foreign information work according to the functions, tasks of the Ministry, as stipulated in Chapter III of Decree No. 72/2015/ND-CP on managing foreign information activities.

2. Assigning one specialized unit subordinate to act as the focal point and staff responsible for foreign information work to advise the Ministry Leadership to issue guiding documents, plans, and programs related to foreign information.

3. Providing official information about the Ministry according to its functions, tasks, and authorities to news agencies, presses, the international community, and overseas Vietnamese.

4. Cooperating with the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Steering Committee for Foreign Information Work to conduct inspection, supervision, violation handling, and complaints and denunciations resolution in foreign information activities according to the law.

5. Summarizing, concluding, and evaluating foreign information activities within their jurisdiction; regularly submitting annual summaries and next year's foreign information activity plans to the Ministry of Information and Communications before November 30 each year for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister. (The format of the plan and report is specified in Appendix No. 01 and Appendix No. 02 issued together with this Circular). In case of emergencies, when the Ministry of Information and Communications requests, ministries shall submit reports to the Ministry of Information and Communications for consolidation to serve management work.

Chapter IV
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 11. Implementation Organization

1. Ministries are responsible for directing specialized agencies to implement this Circular.

2. The Ministry of Information and Communications assigns the Department of Foreign Information to be the focal point for organizing, urging, and inspecting the implementation of this Circular, regularly reporting results to the Minister of Information and Communications.

Article 12. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from April 22, 2019.

2. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or issues that are not suitable, ministries are requested to reflect in writing to the Ministry of Information and Communications for consideration and resolution./.

APPENDIX 01

(Issued together with Circular No.: /2018/TT-BTTTT on the date of month year 2018 of the Ministry of Information and Communications)

PLAN

Foreign Information Activities in ...

I. OBJECTIVES, REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDING PLANS

1. Objectives

2. Requirements

II. CONTENT

1. Building and issuing directive documents for foreign information activities

2. Assigning organizations and arranging personnel responsible for foreign information work

3. Training and capacity building for foreign information work

4. Building and implementing foreign information programs, projects, and initiatives

5. Specific foreign information activities

a) Information monitoring; spokesperson duties and information provision to the press

b) Foreign information database

c) Production of foreign information publications

d) Organizing foreign information events domestically and internationally

đ) Supporting and cooperating with foreign press to promote Vietnam

e) Other forms (if any)

III. BUDGET

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

APPENDIX 02

(Issued together with Circular No.: /2018/TT-BTTTT on the date of month year 2018 of the Ministry of Information and Communications)

Situation of Publishing Foreign-Related Information Content on the Press in Year……

Management of State Administration on Foreign Information in ...

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITUATION

1. Advantages

2. Difficulties

II. IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS

1. Building and issuing directive documents for foreign information activities

2. Assigning organizations and arranging personnel responsible for foreign information work

3. Training and capacity building for foreign information work

4. Building and implementing foreign information programs, projects, and initiatives

5. Specific foreign information activities

a) Information monitoring; spokesperson duties and information provision to the press

b) Foreign information database

c) Production of foreign information publications

d) Organizing foreign information events domestically and internationally

đ) Supporting and cooperating with foreign press to promote Vietnam

e) Other forms (if any)

6. Budget

III. EVALUATION OF IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS

1. Strengths

2. Limitations and causes

IV. DIRECTIONS AND TASKS FOR NEXT YEAR

V. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROPOSALS