He added that journalists should also avoid sensational stories such as details of the lives of politicians, movie and fashion stars, or sex scandals and articles promoting luxurious lifestyles. Access to foreign news is restricted in Vietnam, but the quantity of foreign news reports appearing in newspapers has increased significantly since the country began its open-door and economic reform policies in the late 1980s. In recent months, however, the government has moved to rein in the press, and the Cong An Nhan Dan report indicated that more was to come. Foreign news had not been singled out as an area for special concern prior to Friday's report. Earlier this week, Hanoi's powerful security wing, the Interior Ministry, announced it was equipping itself with a new press department with as yet unspecified powers to manage and control information.
Overseas articles can cause problems for Vietnam.
Party and state officials say foreign news reports about Vietnam are often too critical. Even stories not directly about Vietnam can be a matter for concern or embarrassment. The country's state media, concerned about sweeping National Secrets laws, has brushed over the detail.