“Soft power” breaks the matrix of distorted narratives about storms and floods

As people in the central and Central Highlands provinces struggle to withstand an exceptionally severe period of storms and flooding that has caused heavy loss of life and property, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Party General Secretary have urgently and promptly directed response efforts. The Government and the Prime Minister have issued multiple urgent directives, while local authorities, military forces, and police have swiftly deployed rescue operations.

The tradition of “loving others as oneself,” especially in times of hardship, has long been a treasured value of the Vietnamese people. This spirit has been revived, safeguarded, and spread by the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), earning broad support from citizens nationwide. It is precisely this source of “soft power” that has been breaking down false information circulated by opportunistic individuals and the baseless distortions fabricated by hostile forces seeking to undermine our Party and State.

Staying alert to the matrix of misinformation

Many social media pages run by opportunistic elements and hostile forces opposing the Party and the State have posted a series of false and inaccurate claims about the storms and floods in the central and Central Highlands regions, causing widespread confusion among the public. Photo: Cam Lien

During the days when flooding was becoming increasingly complex, social media was inundated with alarming posts: elderly people, cold and hungry, eating a small piece of bread; people clasping their hands in desperate pleas for help; rooftops completely submerged with groups of elderly people and young children huddled together; even videos claiming that hundreds of people had died in a village, with bodies floating in floodwaters… Much of this misinformation came from accounts with verified blue ticks, causing anxiety and concern across the country. However, after verification by competent authorities, all of these were found to be AI-generated fabrications accompanied by unverified and inaccurate information.

Some social media pages operated by hostile forces and opportunistic individuals even aggressively spread misleading narratives such as: “In peaceful times, the people support the entire system; in disaster, people can only support each other”; “A country that can burn thousands of billions on a parade to show off strength and grand ceremonies but lets people endure rising floodwaters in the 21st century”; “Helicopters fill the skies on national holidays but disappear when people need rescue”; “The army is dense as ants during parades, but when disaster strikes, only a few small boats carry the fragile hopes of the people”…

Luu Duc Hien, a Standing Committee Member of the Commune Party Committee and Chairman of the VFF Committee of Phu Rieng Commune, Dong Nai Province, said that much of the inaccurate information circulating on social media stems from individual viewpoints. These individuals are in different locations, not at the center of the flooding, and therefore cannot fully grasp the severity of the difficulties in the affected areas. Their perspectives are one-sided and based on secondhand accounts, leading to misinformation. In reality, the Central Party, the Government, as well as provincial and commune authorities have directed comprehensive efforts to support residents affected by natural disasters and to deploy rescue forces.

Le Thi Soi, Head of the Phu Rieng Loving Connection Group in Phu Rieng Commune, Dong Nai Province, said: I have participated in many volunteer missions supporting people in areas hit by storms and natural disasters across the northern and central regions. Everywhere we went, local authorities provided thorough guidance. They escorted our vehicles directly to distribution points, brought motorboats, rowboats, and life vests so we could deliver essential goods directly into flooded areas. Therefore, when consuming information on social media, users need to remain alert and discerning.

Deep national solidarity, profound compassion for our compatriots

“More than ever, our compatriots in the central and Central Highlands regions are in urgent need of compassionate support and timely encouragement from people across the country and from overseas Vietnamese”. This message, conveyed in the Appeal of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, is being strongly endorsed by all levels, sectors, localities, and the public through practical actions united in spirit, focusing on the central and Central Highlands regions.

Throughout history, whenever our people have faced hardship or disaster, the spirit of “mutual support and solidarity” has risen and shone brightly. Natural disasters may take away property, destroy villages, and even cause loss of life, but they cannot diminish human compassion nor extinguish the sacred flame of unity. On the contrary, the time-honored tradition of solidarity, where the strong support the weak, has been amplified many times over. And it is this source of soft power, from more than 100 million hearts across the nation, that has been warming and uplifting our compatriots in disaster-stricken areas. The decisive and humane actions of the Party and the State have powerfully spread national sentiment and the spirit of kinship to regions throughout the country and to Vietnamese communities abroad.

In response to the appeal from the VFF Committee of Dong Nai Province, from November 7 to 4:00 p.m. on November 23, the provincial VFF Committee received contributions from 610 organizations, businesses, and individuals supporting people in provinces and cities affected by storms and flooding, with a total amount of more than 3.8 billion VND.

Along with rapidly deploying equipment and rescue forces to support people affected by flooding, the Politburo and the Secretariat decided to establish five working delegations led by senior leaders of the Party and State to directly inspect, direct, and accelerate disaster recovery efforts. The Politburo also assigned major localities to directly support the provinces most severely affected.

Luu Duc Hien, Standing Committee Member of the Commune Party Committee and Chairman of the VFF Committee of Phu Rieng Commune, Dong Nai Province, added: In response to the appeals from the Central VFF and the provincial VFF, the Commune VFF Committee of Phu Rieng launched communication and mobilization efforts, encouraging union members, association members, and local residents to contribute both material and spiritual support, as well as essential goods, for people affected by storms and flooding. This has widely spread the movement of solidarity toward the central and Central Highlands regions. This is a long-standing cultural tradition of the Vietnamese people and also the friendly, compassionate identity of Phu Rieng.

Nguyen Thi Ngoan, Deputy Head of the Warm Hearts Volunteer Club in Binh Phuoc Ward, Dong Nai Province, shared: During previous storms and floods in northern and central provinces, club members operated large volunteer kitchens. Each day, we prepared 2,000–5,000 meals to send to affected communities. During the recent flooding in Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong, the club continued to call for donations. In just three days, from November 22 to 24, we organized two vehicles in coordination with the Provincial Women Entrepreneurs Association to deliver instant food to flood-hit areas.

The Warm Hearts Volunteer Club of Binh Phuoc Ward cooperates with the Provincial Women Entrepreneurs Association to organize compassionate missions to support people affected by storms and flooding in the central and Central Highlands regions. Photo: Cam Lien

People in remote areas join hands to support their fellow compatriots in the central region

The Phu Rieng Loving Connection Group in Phu Rieng Commune is regarded as a trusted center for volunteer activities. During the days when the central and Central Highlands provinces suffered serious flood damage, the group used the Hai Phuong Cashew Workshop as a gathering point for goods, essentials, and banh tet for affected communities. Ho Quoc Khang, owner of the Hai Phuong Cashew Workshop, said: To share in the difficulties and losses of people in the central and Central Highlands regions affected by flooding, I did not hesitate to clear out my warehouse so the Phu Rieng Loving Connection Group could gather manpower and resources to cook banh tet for our compatriots.

The volunteer kitchen burned red day and night cooking banh tet. Tons of rice were being prepared and wrapped by group members, monks from Phap Lac Pagoda, and benefactors who worked tirelessly with love and compassion for people in flood-hit regions.

Nguyen Thi Xinh, from Tan Phu Hamlet in Phu Rieng Commune, said: From previous storms and floods, we have gathered at the group’s volunteer kitchen to wrap each banh tet with affection for people affected by natural disasters. During the recent flooding in Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong, four members of my family participated in wrapping and cooking banh tet. For nearly a week, we set aside household work and wrapped banh tet from early morning until late at night. We all hope that people in flooded areas will soon overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives.

Nguyen Thi Xinh and dozens of local residents gather at the Hai Phuong Cashew Workshop in Phu Rieng Commune, Dong Nai Province, to wrap and cook banh tet for people affected by storms and flooding. Photo: Cam Lien

Le Thi Soi, Head of the Phu Rieng Loving Connection Group, said: Since September, the group has organized eight vehicles delivering essential goods to provinces affected by natural disasters and storms. In this recent effort, members wrapped three tons of banh tet and will continue wrapping for as long as people in flooded areas remain in hardship. These volunteer activities are small compared to the immense difficulties faced by people in storm-stricken regions.

The volume of contributions and the many support activities across the great national unity bloc for people affected by storms and flooding serve as clear evidence, dismantling the distorted narratives fabricated by hostile forces against our Party and State.

By Cam Lien - Translated by Quynh Nhu, Thu Ha