Today's revolutionary journalism village has another writer who is both full of soldier spirit and deeply concerned about the country's destiny.
The book's name immediately evokes a beautiful idea. "The Bridge spanning half of the Earth" is not only the author's journeys following the Minister of Industry and Trade to five continents, but also a bridge connecting seemingly distant shores. It is a bridge between the past and present, between war and peace, between a nation that has gone through bombs and bullets and a Vietnam that is confidently integrating and rising. On that bridge, readers meet again "blood-soaked feet across half of the Earth" of their fathers and brothers, and also meet the footsteps of today's peacetime soldiers on the economic front.
The four parts of the book are four levels of a unified thought stream. The section "From the Day of Victory to Continuing the Story of Peace" condenses touching writings about Uncle Ho, about the hundred-year-old witness of the National Economics Ministry in the early days of nation-building, about the day of complete victory and the aspiration for national harmony.
The section "Is Vietnam big or small?" are political articles closely following the breath of the times, from Resolution 68 of the Politburo to the ideology "businessmen are soldiers".
The section "The Industry and Trade sector overcomes storms, breaks the ice" shows the bravery of an industry newspaper that is committed to the country, not only in creating a national brand but also in vital miracles such as keeping electricity not out in the record hot season, ensuring energy security for more than one hundred million people.
And the section "Notes following the leader of the sector opening the way to the 5 continents" takes readers and authors to set foot in remote lands, to feel the new position and strength of Vietnam on the world economic map.
Another interesting thing in the book is the very clear sign of current affairs. Most of the pages of notes record the working trips that the author accompanied former Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, now Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, on the journey to open the way to the five continents for the Industry and Trade sector. But the book also promptly updates the latest breath of the industry, when recording the story of the spectacular achievements in management and electricity regulation under the direction of the new Minister Le Manh Hung in the historic hot summer of 2026. That succession shows the continuous flow of a key economic sector, and the sensitivity of a journalist who always closely follows every step of the country.
What I appreciate in this book is that the author did not write from paper. He was present in the field, from the small attic of Thu Khoa Huan street, where scholar Nguyen Dinh Dau, hundred years old, still flipped through ancient maps every day, to the War Memorial in Canberra with the heartbreaking words "Home at last", meaning "They finally returned home".
He was also present in the tense moments of industry management, when the entire national power system strained itself against the historical peak of load in the hot summer. From those very real details, his pen rose to ideological reflections on independence and peace, on war and reconciliation, on the responsibility of today's generation.
I learned that before committing to journalism and becoming Editor-in-Chief of Cong Thuong Newspaper, author Nguyen Van Minh had nearly thirty years in the military. The quality of a soldier, that is, dedication, honesty, discipline and affection, has permeated every writing page. In him, I see the image of a "soldier journalist" that I have cherished throughout my life as a journalist. He is a writer not only for responsibility, but for a belief and a deep love for the Fatherland and the people.
Revolutionary Vietnamese journalism is entering a period of many challenges but also full of opportunities. Books like "On the Bridge Through Half the Earth" are therefore very precious, because they show that journalists today still maintain a long-term vision, a bright mind and a solid profession. I believe readers, especially those working in Industry and Trade, journalists and young people, will find here many useful things and beautiful feelings.
Hanoi, June 2026.
