Publishing is also defined as an essential component of Vietnamese culture, contributing to the nation’s intellectual foundation, creating social value, guiding aesthetic standards, enhancing public knowledge and fostering the development of Vietnamese people and cultural identity.

By 2030, the Secretariat aims to build a streamlined, high-quality and modern publishing system. Central to this vision is the formation of key national publishing and media conglomerates operating across multiple platforms and products, covering political and ideological content, cultural entertainment, science and technology, and education and training.

Among these, a major group is expected to carry out strategic external communications, promoting Vietnam’s image, people and culture globally while facilitating the exchange and absorption of global knowledge and cultural values.

The directive also emphasizes deep digital transformation, including investment in technological infrastructure, digital platforms and content. Priority will be given to digital publishing, with a focus on innovation, diversity and international integration.

Artificial intelligence and big data are to be applied across all stages of publishing operations, alongside the development of multimedia publishing systems.

From the central level to provinces and cities, the directive calls for the establishment of unified digital libraries and electronic bookshelves, as well as large-scale, modern distribution centers integrated with digital transformation.

It also sets specific targets: 100 percent of publishers to engage in digital publishing and apply digital transformation across their processes, and 80 percent of printing facilities to adopt modern technologies, positioning the sector as an important supporting industry.

Looking ahead to 2045, Vietnam aims to develop a robust, diverse and modern publishing and media system capable of meeting the public’s needs for reading, learning, entertainment and cultural enrichment in a new era.

The publishing sector is expected to evolve into a digital economy, with Vietnamese publishing enterprises gaining global competitiveness and becoming leading hubs of creativity, exchange and cooperation in Southeast Asia and beyond, thereby enhancing Vietnam’s international standing and influence.

Promoting Vietnamese publications globally

To achieve these goals, the directive outlines a series of tasks and solutions.

These include improving Party regulations and legal frameworks on publishing, removing bottlenecks, mobilizing resources and introducing breakthrough policies to elevate the sector to regional and global standards.

The Secretariat also calls for the development of digital space and a digital publishing economy, alongside strengthened copyright protection, particularly in digital environments and in the context of artificial intelligence applications.

Content development is identified as the core driver, with a focus on producing works of ideological, scientific and aesthetic value. Authorities are encouraged to commission high-quality scientific research and literary and artistic works that meet the public’s demand for knowledge and healthy entertainment.

The directive highlights the importance of expanding international cooperation across all areas of publishing, including exporting Vietnamese books and press products abroad and introducing global publications into Vietnam through copyright exchange and bilingual publishing. Public-private partnership models are also encouraged to promote national cultural values.

Vietnam is urged to deepen cooperation with reputable international publishers and to develop a highly skilled workforce capable of meeting new demands.

Reading period to become an elective subject

The Secretariat has tasked the Party Committee of the Ministry of Education and Training with introducing reading periods as an elective subject in schools from primary to lower secondary levels, aiming to foster reading habits, develop thinking skills and build a lifelong learning society.

It also emphasizes the need to develop modern school libraries that serve learning, reading and recreational needs of students.

The Vietnam Publishing Association is assigned a greater role in advancing the publishing sector and reading culture.

Meanwhile, the Party Committee of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will lead the development of major initiatives, including a National Book Program and a digital publishing development scheme, with the goal of having a World Book Capital in Vietnam before 2030.

The directive also encourages the implementation of projects supporting Vietnamese publishing, translation initiatives and broader programs to promote culture through books.

Tran Thuong