Decree No. 88/2013/ND-CP on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) 88/2013/NĐ-CP

✦ Smart summary

Decree No. 88/2013/ND-CP stipulates the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA). The VNA is an agency under the Government, performing state news agency functions and tasks such as issuing official information, collecting and disseminating information, and implementing international information activities. This Decree replaces Decree No. 24/2008/ND-CP.

Scope of application

Vietnam News Agency

Key points

The VNA is an agency under the Government, performing state news agency functions and tasks such as issuing official information, collecting and disseminating information, and implementing international information activities.
The General Director of the VNA is appointed and relieved of duty by the Prime Minister and is responsible to the Government for all activities of the VNA. Deputy General Directors are proposed by the General Director and appointed by the Prime Minister.
The VNA has the function of managing investment and construction projects within its authority as prescribed by law, implementing international cooperation, and organizing service activities as prescribed by law.
The organizational structure of the VNA includes units assisting the General Director, information units, and information support units. Each unit has specific functions as set out in this Decree.
The VNA exercises the rights of the State owner over state-owned enterprises under the VNA in accordance with the provisions of law.

🌐 Social impact of this document

Positive impact: Consolidating and enhancing the effectiveness of state information and communication activities.
Negative impact: Increased management costs for the VNA due to requirements for international cooperation and investment in construction.
Beneficiaries: Civil servants and employees of the Vietnam News Agency. Information media agencies and the public with information needs.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What tasks does the VNA perform?

The VNA performs tasks such as issuing official information, collecting and disseminating information, and implementing international information activities (Article 2).

Who appoints the General Director of the VNA?

The General Director of the VNA is appointed by the Prime Minister (Article 4).

What rights does the VNA have over state-owned enterprises?

The VNA exercises the rights of the State owner over state-owned enterprises under the VNA in accordance with the provisions of law (Article 2).

What units make up the organizational structure of the VNA?

The organizational structure of the VNA includes units assisting the General Director, information units, and information support units (Article 3).

When does this Decree take effect?

This Decree takes effect from September 15, 2013 (Article 5).

Full text

DECREE

Article specifies the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Vietnam News Agency

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Pursuant to the Law Torganization C"b) In addition to the lists of public services issued according to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 4 of this Decree, specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees shall report to the provincial People's Committee for decision-making on amending, supplementing, or issuing the list of public services funded by the state budget within their jurisdiction and consistent with the local budget capacity within the approved budget by the Provincial People's Assembly, and send it to the Ministry of Finance and relevant ministries and sectors for supervision during implementation."Government on December 25thJune 2024;th year 2001;

At the proposal of the Director of the General Bureau of Meteorology and Hydrology, the Head of the Science and Technology Department, and the Head of the Legal Department;, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CPDirector General of the Vietnam News Agency;

The Government promulgates a Decree to specify the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Vietnam News Agency,

Article 1. Position and Functions

1. The Vietnam News Agency is an agency under the Government, performing the function of state news agency in disseminating information and official documents of the Party and State; providing information to meet leadership requirements of the Party and management needs of the State; collecting and disseminating information through various forms of communication, serving mass media agencies, the public, and interested parties both domestically and internationally.

2. The Vietnam News Agency has the international trading name in English: Vietnam News Agency, abbreviated as VNA.

b) Draft five-year and annual socio-economic development plans for the province; major economic and social balances for the province; draft five-year and annual plans, programs, projects, measures to organize and implement tasks related to socio-economic development, finance-budget, planning-investment, and other tasks within the scope of state management of the Department of Finance as prescribed by law;

The Vietnam News Agency performs the following tasks and authorities:

1. Submit to the Government draft Decrees to define, amend, and supplement the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Vietnam News Agency.

2. Submit to the Prime Minister the strategic plans, planning, long-term, five-year, annual development plans, and other important projects and programs of the Vietnam News Agency; organize the implementation of these strategies, plans, projects, and programs after approval.

3. Uniformly disseminate official documents and information of the Party and State; collect, compile news, photos, audiovisual products, reference materials, books, and other types of information to promptly serve leadership requirements of the Party and management needs of the State.

4. Announce the official stance of the State on current issues; correct information that does not align with national interests; correct misinformation; when necessary, issue statements refuting information intended to mislead.

5. Collect, compile, publish, and disseminate information products to provide for mass media agencies, the public, and interested parties both domestically and internationally; produce and broadcast television channels serving political tasks and essential national information dissemination.

6. Perform the external information dissemination tasks assigned by the Party and State, collect and disseminate information about Vietnam in different languages for domestic agencies and organizations, foreign news agencies and press outlets, foreigners, and overseas Vietnamese.

7. Perform information dissemination and propaganda tasks for ethnic minorities and mountainous regions using ethnic minority languages and scripts.

8. Implement information archival activities; build and manage a database of information and national photo archives.

9. Coordinate with relevant agencies to perform information dissemination tasks serving defense and security work.

10. Organize research and application of scientific and technological advancements in the field of communication and news.

11. Implement international cooperation in areas within the functions, tasks, and authorities of the Vietnam News Agency as prescribed by law.

12. Exercise the rights of state ownership over state-owned enterprises under the Vietnam News Agency as prescribed by law.

13. Manage investment and construction projects within its authority as prescribed by law.

14. Participate in developing programs, projects, and plans related to the functions, tasks, and authorities of the Vietnam News Agency at the request of the Government and the Prime Minister.

15. Decide and direct the implementation of the administrative reform program of the Vietnam News Agency according to the goals and content of the administrative reform program approved by the Prime Minister.

16. Manage organizational structure, civil service staffing, job positions, personnel structure by occupational titles, and the number of employees in public service units; decide on rotation, transfer, appointment, reappointment, dismissal, demotion, commendation, and disciplinary actions; implement systems, policies, training, and development of cadres, civil servants, and staff under the Vietnam News Agency.

17. Organize service activities as prescribed by law.

18. Manage and utilize budgets and assets both domestically and internationally; coordinate financial resources among subordinate units of the Vietnam News Agency as prescribed by the State Budget Law and related regulations.

19. Implement reporting requirements to the Government, the Prime Minister, and competent state agencies as prescribed by law.

20. Perform other tasks and authorities assigned by the Government or the Prime Minister or as prescribed by law.

Article 3. Organizational Structure

1. Units assisting the General Director of the Vietnam News Agency:

a) Editorial Board Secretariat.

b) Organization and Cadre Management Board.

c) Office.

d) Planning and Finance Board.

đ) Inspection Board.

2. Information Units:

a) Domestic News Editing Board.

b) World News Editing Board.

c) Foreign News Editing Board.

d) Photo Editing Board.

đ) Economic News Editing Board.

e) Television News Center.

g) Information and Reference Materials Center.

h) News Paper.

i) VietnamPlus Online Newspaper.

k) Vietnam News Newspaper.

l) Vietnam Photo Newspaper.

m) Le Courrier du Vietnam Newspaper.

n) Sports and Culture Newspaper.

o) Ethnic and Mountainous Region Photo Newspaper.

p) Science and Technology Bulletin.

q) Vietnam Law and Legal Forum Magazine.

r) Press Agency Publishing House.

s) Southern Region Branch of the Vietnam News Agency.

t) Central Highlands-Western Highlands Region Branch of the Vietnam News Agency.

u) Provincial and Municipal Branches of the Vietnam News Agency under the central government.

v) Overseas Branches of the Vietnam News Agency.

3. Information Support Units:

a) Telecommunications Technical Center.

b) Telecommunications Professional Training Development Center.

c) Telecommunications Communication Development Center.

d) Computing Center.

đ) International Telecommunications Cooperation Center.

The General Director of the Vietnam News Agency specifies the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structures of subordinate units and appoints and dismisses heads and no more than three deputy heads of subordinate organizations.

Article 4. Leadership

1. The Vietnam News Agency has a General Director and no more than four Deputy General Directors. The General Director of the Vietnam News Agency is appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister, and is responsible to the Government and the Prime Minister for all activities of the Vietnam News Agency.

2. The Deputy General Directors of the Vietnam News Agency shall be appointed and relieved from office by the Prime Minister upon the proposal of the General Director of the Vietnam News Agency and shall be responsible to the General Director for the tasks assigned.

Article 5. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Implementation

1. This Decree takes effect from September 15, 2013.

2. This Decree replaces Decree No. 24/2008/NĐ-CP dated March 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Vietnam News Agency; and abolishes previous provisions that are contrary to this Decree.

3. The General Director of the Vietnam News Agency, the Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees under central cities are responsible for implementing this Decree./.