Vietnamese Commune Officials Go Live to Share Local Culture

As local governments at two levels officially commence operations from July 1, 2025, a new image is gradually becoming familiar in many rural areas: commune secretaries and chairpersons are holding smartphones, personally filming clips and livestreaming with residents to introduce the scenery, cultural life, and promote regional specialties. This initiative represents a modern approach where local officials engage directly with residents to foster community vitality and economic development. By leveraging social media platforms, information about local areas, which was previously confined to a limited scope, can now reach a wider audience in real-time. This is expected to be effective in promoting regional specialties for economic revitalization and attracting tourists. The Communist Party of Vietnam has been advancing the restructuring of local administration, aiming for increased efficiency and improved resident services. The current use of social media by local officials can be seen as a concrete measure to enhance transparency in information disclosure and reduce the distance between officials and residents. This direct engagement with residents, within the framework of a one-party system, can also serve the important purpose of fostering trust in the government and deepening understanding of its policies. However, the success of such new initiatives also depends on the IT literacy and social media skills of individual officials. The content and quality of information disseminated can influence how well each region's circumstances and attractions are conveyed. The promotion of AI to enhance the capabilities of commune officials has also been noted, suggesting the potential introduction of more sophisticated information dissemination methods in the future.