First, it must be said that there are no dissident journalists in Vietnam as Reporters Without Borders alleged, but reporters who are making every effort for national construction and development and for independence, freedom and happiness of their people. The so-called dissident journalists, in fact, are elements who are discontented with the regime. They have in recent times cooperated with several reactionaries living in exile to publish a newspaper aimed at harming national development.

Reporters Without Borders admitted itself that such a newspaper is used as a forum for reporters to publish stories and call on Vietnamese people to sabotage the Vietnamese Party and State.

It is nothing but a law-breaking that threatens national security and stability, as well as the lives of individuals. Like any sovereign country, the Vietnamese State must take measures to stop such acts, protect the interests of its people and country and defend the principles of a law-governed state.

Regrettably, Reporters Without Borders did not produce objective views about the situation of the press in Vietnam. People wonder whether the organisation intended to complicate the matter by claiming that Vietnam has oppressed dissident journalists and banned private publications.

The fact is that Vietnam has more than 12,000 journalists working in more than 550 press agencies with over 700 publications of the Party, State, Government, socio-political organisations and professional associations. These publications fully reflect the opinions and aspirations of the people. The Party and State listen to and answer their questions through newspapers, radio and television stations at central and local levels.  

This illustrates that Vietnamese people have the right to be provided with information, as well as the right to freedom of the press, and that private publications are not necessary in Vietnam. Private publications in foreign countries more often than not provide inaccurate information, which has a bad impact on society and can even lead to socio-political instability. The fall of the former Soviet Union and several East European countries was a case in point which has taught Vietnam a great lesson. That is why Vietnam does not condone private press in any forms - for the benefit of the nation and its people. No country or organisation has the right to demand private press in Vietnam. Such an unreasonable demand emanates from a lack of awareness or an intentional misleading of freedom of the press in Vietnam.

Several Vietnamese people who Reporters Without Borders call dissident journalists insist that a private press symbolises democracy and freedom. But they cannot see that democracy is an institution in which freedom of the press should not run counter to the legitimate rights of the general public and the interests of the nation. Ironically, they still make use of the spirit of democracy and freedom of the press to slander the country and people who work hard to contribute to national construction and development.

In a nutshell, the slanderous allegation and demand of Reporters Without Borders are unreasonable and groundless.