During group discussions on the draft Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Publishing, the deputies stressed the need to change the mindset on publishing, viewing publications not only as ideological tools or knowledge infrastructure, but as cultural products with added value for export.
Vu Van Tien, a National Assembly deputy for Hai Phong City, proposed: "The State should make strong investments to turn publishing into a tool for diplomacy and international integration. At present, very few Vietnamese works published internationally have generated copyright sales, and only a limited number of publications are presented as gifts to international visitors. To bring Vietnamese publications to the world, the key factors are authors, copyright, and the quality of the works. The State should establish a fund for creating scientific and cultural publications and for translating books."
The deputies also proposed developing a national digital database on culture and multilingual publications, so that foreign readers can access information about Vietnam in cyberspace.
"I support the supplement of policies to promote digital publishing and publications, invest in technological infrastructure, and develop key publishing houses. To realize these policies, I suggest that the drafting agency clarify the implementation mechanisms. For example, regarding tax and credit incentives, it is necessary to clearly define the beneficiaries, selection criteria, and the resources for implementation," said Nguyen Thanh Trung, a National Assembly deputy for Hai Phong City.
The deputies recommended that Vietnam's publishing sector actively participate in international book fairs by translating and publishing valuable literary, historical, and political works in multiple foreign languages.
