Phnom Penh (VNA) – The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) is the trusted voice of the State, delivering authentic and comprehensive information to the public while maintaining its role as an “information bank” for both the Vietnamese and global audience, said Sokmom Nimul, Director General of Cambodia's national news agency AKP in an interview with VNA correspondents in Phnom Penh.

Speaking on the occasion of the VNA’s 80th founding anniversary, the AKP leader emphasised that the VNA has always played a significant role in Vietnam’s press system. Since its establishment on September 15, 1945, the agency has served as the official voice of the Party and State, disseminating policies, statements, decisions, and viewpoints to all sectors of Vietnamese society. At the same time, it has served as a key channel for conveying Vietnam’s realities and perspectives to the international community, highlighting the nation’s struggles, defence, construction, and development.

A noteworthy aspect, she highlighted, is the VNA’s work in publishing information in the Khmer language, which has helped foster mutual understanding between the peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia. With Khmer-language products, Cambodians can directly access information without the need for translation.

Nimul recalled that AKP was re-established at the end of 1978, then known as SPK, starting from virtually nothing. VNA extended assistance on all fronts – spiritual, material, technical, and professional.

Among their fields of cooperation, human resource training has been the most effective. VNA sent experts to Cambodia, hosted training programmes in Vietnam, and organised exchange visits, which gradually enabled AKP to build a strong, independent workforce that has endured to this day.

In the future, she suggested that both sides further strengthen their existing cooperation, enhance their roles as a reliable bridge between the two nations, and work more effectively in combating fake news and malicious content that harms bilateral relations. She also proposed joint production of information on culture and tourism, participation in regional cooperation on topics such as climate change, drug prevention, and online fraud, as well as reciprocal training and professional exchanges to boost technological expertise.

AKP also places strong emphasis on the exchange of archival information, particularly photographs, she added.

With its proud history, Nimul expressed her belief that the VNA will continue to serve as a reliable source of information for generations of Vietnamese readers, while also remaining a solid, effective bridge between the peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia./.