Fate from responsibility to life
The predestined relationship that brought me to Lao Dong Newspaper originated from the resonance in the awareness of social responsibility of journalists and researchers. As an economic expert, I always believe that knowledge only has real meaning when it is put into life. A policy recommendation will hardly promote its value if it is only in reports, seminars or narrow professional exchanges. Lao Dong Newspaper is one of the press agencies that has performed that role well.
Right from the first exchanges, I clearly felt the seriousness, receptiveness and professional responsibility of the reporters. The questions often go straight to the essence: How does policy affect life? Who benefits? Who has to bear the costs? Where is the bottleneck? What needs to be adjusted to ensure harmony of interests between the State, businesses and workers? It is this way of posing the issue that has created a long-term bond between me and the newspaper. In the process of collaborating, I had the opportunity to answer interviews, write articles and participate in forums on prices, finance, wages, social insurance and market management. Expert opinions are respected, but are always required to clarify the basis, impact and solutions.
Bringing policies back to workers
The point I especially appreciate in Lao Dong Newspaper is the ability to put macroeconomic issues directly related to people's lives. Inflation is not just an indicator in the report. For workers, it is food prices, electricity bills, rent, tuition fees, medical and travel costs. If the price of essential goods increases faster than income, the pressure on life is still very high. Gasoline prices are also not only related to key businesses, budgets or energy supply and demand. Every time gasoline prices fluctuate, it affects workers, transportation businesses and the cost of goods and services. Electricity prices are also not simply the financial problem of the electricity industry, but also the cost of living, production costs and the competitiveness of the economy.
Lao Dong Newspaper not only asks if a policy is in principle correct, but also cares about how that policy is implemented, who it affects, and whether fairness is ensured. That is how to bring policy back to the right subjects that the policy must serve. In many exchanges, I was not only asked to analyze correctly in terms of expertise, but also to express it in a way that is easy for readers to understand. Experts not only say the right thing, but also have to explain what it means to workers, businesses and the economy; not only point out the causes, but also propose feasible solutions.
Criticism to build and create change
Through many years of collaboration, I realize that Lao Dong Newspaper always gives space for policy criticism. Criticism is not to deny the efforts of management agencies, let alone to create confrontation. Responsible criticism is to point out the gap between goals and actual results; between regulations in the document and the ability to implement; between the interests of each group of subjects and the common interests.
The value of these forums is not only in detecting problems. More importantly, Lao Dong Newspaper always encourages experts to go to the very end of responsibility: Not only mentioning limitations but also proposing solutions; not only saying that policies are not appropriate but also pointing out where to correct, how to correct and which agency is responsible. Forums and seminars organized by Lao Dong Newspaper also create conditions for the voices of experts to meet the voices of businesses, workers and managers. A good policy cannot be built only from the perspective of an agency or a group of interests.
In the new period, I expect Lao Dong Newspaper to continue to promote its role as the voice of the Trade Union organization and workers, while affirming its position as a reputable socio-economic forum. The newspaper needs to continue to gather experts, managers, businesses and workers to create multi-dimensional dialogues.
In-depth analysis, policy investigation and thematic forums need to be invested more strongly, especially in salaries, employment, social security, labor productivity, worker housing, digital transformation and green transformation. In the context of information spreading very quickly, the public needs reliable, verified, in-depth information to help understand the true nature of the problem. Therefore, the value of Lao Dong Newspaper lies first of all in its prestige, bravery, honesty and analytical capacity.
For me personally, accompanying Lao Dong Newspaper is a valuable professional experience. Each article, each interview is not only an opportunity to share views, but also reminds experts to stick to reality, listen to life and be responsible for their opinions. I believe that when the press retains its bravery, experts retains its independence, and management agencies are truly receptive, the voice of criticism will become a driving force to promote innovation, perfect institutions, and build policies towards people.
