VIR can be at the forefront of credible reporting

Over the past few years, the ASEAN Secretariat and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development have annually published the ASEAN Investment Report, reflecting the region’s investment and business climate, with analyses on each nation’s environment.

The report is compiled based on reliable information sources from around the world, in which stories and data from Vietnam Investment Review is often cited.

VIR and its sister publications have been offered up at major business events in many global markets

In the 2023 edition released late last year, the report highlighted several ASEAN member states such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam developing ecological industrial parks (eco-IPs), transforming existing IPs into greener facilities.

It also cited VIR, the press office of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), as reporting that Becamex IDC in Vietnam and Singapore’s Sembcorp agreed to jointly develop five eco-IPs in the country. Though the newspaper, the report cited Vietnam as boasting an attractive climate for business and investment for foreign investors.

In the 2022 version, the report also cited VIR as a reliable source for promoting the Vietnamese investment and business environment, with the government extending great support for investors and businesses. It cited VIR as stating that the Vietnamese prime minister established a special working group headed by the Minister of Planning and Investment to catch a new wave of new investment post-pandemic.

“VIR has become a top source of information for business leaders, diplomats, researchers, experts, and individuals in Vietnam. It has put itself at the forefront of credible journalism, providing extensive and inclusive articles, and can showcase different perspectives,” Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi said. “This reliable journalism is important for Vietnam’s efforts in attracting investment from various stakeholders as well as to enhance its economic cooperation with other countries.”

Significant compliments

VIR published its first issue in 1991, and has since grown to become a multi-product press agency with a system of printed newspapers including its Vietnamese-language sisters Dau tu and Dau tu Chung khoan, in addition to its online editions.

These newspapers are now the go-to news outlets for foreign enterprises and investors looking to learn more about the Vietnamese market and stay up-to-date on the opportunities emerging each week.

During more than three decades of development, VIR has been highly appreciated by the MPI, and other ministries and agencies such as the Central Economic Commission, Government Office, Office of the National Assembly (NA), and the State Bank of Vietnam for its great efforts in selecting, analysing, and objectively featuring information and policies of ministries and sectors on printed and online newspapers, special publications, and events.

VIR has earned its status in the Vietnamese economic press circle. With its particular focus on featuring hot issues related to economics, trade, and investment, as well as the country’s external policies, the outlet has also earned plaudits from international organisations, embassies, and the business community as it has provided them insightful information.

“Though VIR, we can access first-hand information on the government’s policies on macroeconomic monitoring, and how banks and enterprises in our industry are performing,” said Nguyen Thu Hang, communications director of BAC A BANK, the investor of TH Group. “In addition, it has also featured stories on our projects, helping us promote our projects at home and abroad.”

VIR has effectively conveyed the voice of the business community and provided them with new information. Hong Sun, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Business in Vietnam, representing 10,000 South Korean companies in Vietnam, said that VIR has played an important role as a channel providing official, reputable, and reliable information in English for foreign investors who are keen to learn about the investment environment here.

“Updating new policies related to investment, regulations related to business operations under Vietnamese law is very necessary for investors. Through VIR, these issues are updated, analysed in the most complete, fastest, and most accurate way, thereby helping businesses like us to have a more comprehensive understanding of the new regulations and make appropriate adjustments in our management activities in accordance with the provisions of law.”

In addition, VIR and its sisters have annually reaped dozens of journalism awards organised by the Party, the NA, the government, ministries, and domestic and international organisations. Many of its reporters have also been presented certificates of merits from these for their excellent contributions.

Going forward

VIR has continuously updated and actively spread Vietnam’s foreign policy, and domestic, regional, and global diplomatic events. Over past years, international integration issues such as implementing and signing free trade agreements with the EU, United Kingdom, and others, as well as updated versions between ASEAN and its partners, has been fully and promptly informed in its publications.

In order to develop more distinct and high-quality products, VIR has made major efforts in self-innovation to serve the needs of readers, with a focus on improving the content and appearance of print and online publications and the way events are organised.

Particularly, since 2022, with the construction of a modern studio, the newspaper has been able to produce and broadcast talk shows and expand the content of seminars, workshops, and conferences to many other fields. This is a new step in the newspaper’s activities, although it remains in the early stages and potential is still ahead.

In its development direction, the newspaper aims to promote its image in the region and the wider world, and has been made available at many high-profile events at home and abroad in large volumes.

VIR reporters have also been named in the list of international organisations and embassies, making it favourable for the agency to have first-hand information about the relations between Vietnam and other nations. One reporter has been invited to participate at the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan in November, with a special publication on sustainable development to be delivered at the event.

It is also among press agencies in Vietnam to have been invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to directly attend on-site events about leaders of foreign nations visiting the country, during which Vietnam and these nations have further cemented bilateral ties and forged cooperation in new sectors.

In a bid to improve, VIR staff have been enriching content and promoting its image via different channels such as seminars, conferences, and talk shows in addition to distributing newspapers and special publications at events inside and outside Vietnam, and cooperation with some partners such as Dow Jones and PressReader.

Moreover, VIR also enhanced its image in the form of an e-paper edition to attract more readers.

Kubo Yoshitomo, senior representative Japan International Cooperation Agency On behalf of the Vietnam branch of Japan International Cooperation Agency, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Vietnam Investment Review on its 33rd anniversary. VIR has consistently provided invaluable analysis and information encompassing a wide range of aspects in Vietnam, hence fostering a more in-depth understanding of national economic trends as well as investment in Vietnam and the surrounding regions. Therefore, I consider it as one of the essential resources for our agency to make well-informed decision in our project implementation and planning. I particularly appreciate the National and Investing columns, as well as others for their informative content on official development assistance, foreign direct investment, and other related aspects in Vietnam. I also would like to thank VIR for delivering attractive articles focusing on our activities on sustainable development. We have not only focused on infrastructure and human resource development but also strived to enhance foreign investment to support Vietnam’s development, so we highly appreciate the dedication and professionalism of your team in offering insightful and unbiased coverage of real business, economic news, and private sector activities. High standards of journalism are critical to promoting transparency and fostering collaboration between international partners. On this occasion, I sincerely wish for the continued success and growth of VIR and hope for its continued cooperation in sharing our endeavours to a wider public in the country.