Promoting the Image of the Ancestral Land

Amid increasingly deep and comprehensive international integration, external information work (EIW) is not merely a channel for conveying local guidelines, policies, and images to international friends, but has also become a crucial component of foreign affairs. It contributes to expanding cooperative relations, attracting resources, and fostering a favorable environment for development. Leveraging its position as the ancestral land, Phu Tho has gradually innovated the content and methods of EIW, linking the promotion of culture, people, and tourism with the introduction of the locality’s potential, strengths, and investment environment.

Comrade Quach Tat Liem – Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee visits the display space at the "Connecting Thailand in Phu Tho 2026" Program, contributing to promoting exchange and cooperative connection between the two sides.

Following administrative unit restructuring, external information work no longer stops at reporting foreign affairs activities, but is closely integrated with cultural diplomacy, investment, trade, and tourism promotion, as well as people-to-people exchanges. This provides a foundation for Phu Tho to proactively introduce the unique values of the Ancestral Land, while providing information regarding the investment and business environment and cooperation opportunities to domestic and international partners. Propaganda methods have been innovated toward greater diversity. Alongside the Electronic Information Portal and the bilingual bulletin “Phu Tho External Affairs”, the province has enhanced coverage across press outlets, web portals, and social media networks. In the first 6 months of 2026, the entire province recorded over 20,000 news items, articles, and broadcast programs; published 6 issues of the Phu Tho External Affairs Bulletin; and produced 2 documentaries covering major political, cultural, and diplomatic events. Thousands of bilingual Vietnamese-English news pieces and articles were published.

The province maintains media cooperation with over 20 press and media agencies. These results contribute to expanding the coverage of information about Phu Tho, particularly across digital environments. Notably, promotional content is increasingly rooted in the locality’s specific values. “The Worship of Hùng Kings in Phu Tho”, Phu Tho Xoan singing, historical relics, scenic spots, and traditional festivals are featured in foreign affairs activities. The Hung Kings' Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival, the Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week, and numerous cultural events have become effective occasions to showcase the image of the ancestral land. From culture and history to tourism, Phu Tho’s distinct values are brought closer to the public, increasing destination appeal and contributing to promoting the people and homeland of the Ancestral Land.

Alongside domestic promotion, the province is gradually bringing Phu Tho’s culture abroad. Decision No. 1578/QD-UBND of the Provincial People’s Committee approving the Scheme on “Organizing Phu Tho Cultural Days Abroad and Foreign Cultural Days in Phu Tho for the 2026–2030 Period” has opened further space for cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges. “Thai Connect 2026” — the Thailand Connection Program in Phu Tho — was organized featuring cooperation promotion activities, business matching, cultural and tourism promotion, and introductions to the province’s potential. This approach demonstrates that image promotion is increasingly tied to building concrete relationships and cooperation opportunities.

The province also focuses on presenting Phu Tho’s image to international audiences through press activities. In the first 6 months of 2026, Phu Tho permitted 2 foreign journalist delegations to operate in the province in accordance with regulations; coordinating guidance for reporting and providing information on socio-economic development, culture, and cooperation potential. This serves as a channel for the local image to be reflected from reality, contributing to presenting a Phu Tho rich in tradition, stable, friendly, and filled with investment and cooperation opportunities.

External information work is increasingly aligned with economic diplomacy. In high-level diplomatic activities and provincial working trips, Phu Tho prioritizes highlighting potential and strengths while seeking partners. As part of participating in the State visits to Laos and China by the high-level Vietnamese delegation, the province signed memorandums of understanding on friendly cooperation with 3 northern Lao provinces — Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, and Bokeo — as well as Shanxi Province, China. Provincial working delegations also conducted investment promotion and friendly visits to China, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Mongolia, and South Korea. Each activity opens an additional channel to introduce Phu Tho, while creating opportunities for connection and collaboration.

Facing new requirements, rapid digital media development, and increasingly multi-dimensional information across borderless platforms — while the EIW team primarily serves concurrently and multi-language, multi-platform content creation capabilities remain uneven — the province is required to continuously improve content quality, cadre capacity, and proactively provide official, timely, and unified information. In the coming time, alongside innovating propaganda methods, Phu Tho will focus on promoting the outstanding values of the Ancestral Land, while presenting its tourism, trade, industrial potential, investment climate, and cooperation opportunities more clearly. When external information work stays close to development realities, cultural values are leveraged, and cooperation opportunities are expanded, the image of Phu Tho will spread deeply and widely. Thereby, it will attract resources, promote tourism, trade, and investment, and elevate the position of the Ancestral Land in international integration.

Anh Tho