By Bùi Quỳnh Hoa

Nguyễn Cảnh Bình is one of Việt Nam’s most pioneering and influential figures in the fields of publishing, knowledge development and leadership education. He is the founder and chairman of AlphaBooks, Omega+, Gamma, Einstein House, MedInsights and Read Station; founder and director of the ABG Leadership Institute; and permanent vice chairman of the Vietnam Asia Pacific Economic Centre (VAPEC).

Beyond his extensive entrepreneurial portfolio, Bình is also widely respected as a speaker, author and translator, especially in the areas of management, education, policy and culture. For decades, he has worked closely with Việt Nam’s business and intellectual communities, helping bridge global knowledge with local practices and sustainable development goals.

In this exclusive interview, he shares his perspective on how books and knowledge can serve as a nation’s soft power, helping to shape Việt Nam’s identity on the global cultural and intellectual map.

How do you assess the role of books and knowledge in building a nation’s image and identity on the global intellectual map?

Books are the oldest form of preserving a nation’s culture, knowledge and history. While modern media formats like audio-visual content have only been around for a few decades, books and written documents have captured the depth of centuries — even millennia — of human civilisation. In developed countries, books are the cultural core and the foundation of national intelligence.

In Việt Nam, however, this sector still lags behind — partly due to our relatively recent history of written language. The Quốc ngữ (romanized Vietnamese script) has only been popularised in the last hundred years or so. Earlier, the chữ Hán (Han Chinese  script) was inaccessible to most of the population. Add to that the decades of war and social upheaval, during which our ancient books and records were destroyed, neglected or poorly preserved.

That’s why reviving a reading culture and investing in publishing today has a strategic meaning. It is not only about preservation, but also about asserting our identity in the global knowledge ecosystem. It is a path to connect our nation with the civilised world.

From your perspective, how is Việt Nam currently perceived by international readers and publishers?

Interestingly, Việt Nam is now seen as a rising star, especially within Southeast Asia. At international book fairs and events, I’ve heard many foreign colleagues refer to Việt Nam as such. They’re fascinated by our rich cultural diversity, distinctive cuisine, kindhearted people and our image as a peace-loving nation. 

The world’s interest in Việt Nam has grown significantly in recent years. You can see this in the increasing number of international tourists visiting our country. And not just that — since đổi mới (policy renewal), our commodities have entered more and more global markets. While we still face many challenges, Việt Nam has rapidly grown into a producing country, especially in agriculture.

A charming development I’ve seen recently is that some overseas Vietnamese communities in Europe have established 'Phở Lovers Associations' to promote Vietnamese cuisine, and by extension, Vietnamese culture.

That said, we are still only at the beginning. To elevate our national image, Việt Nam must move beyond the level of emotional impressions or commodity exports. We need to offer deeper, more intellectually grounded and sustainable cultural products.

Can books serve as 'soft ambassadors' for national communication?

Not only can they — they absolutely should. If you look at countries like China, South Korea or Japan, even though their global images are shaped by films, music or games, the foundations are still their literary works.

Take Japan — their manga has not only captivated readers worldwide, but also inspired a whole film industry. South Korea’s K-pop and dramas are now cultural phenomena across Asia and beyond. And in China, recent games and movies about mythological figures like Sun Wukong or Nezha are based on classic literature and epics.

To create a strong cultural thrust, we need to invest in these intellectual roots, then let them spread into various forms — books first, then films, music, games and more.

It’s encouraging that many young Vietnamese artists are drawing inspiration from traditional culture — like Hòa Minzy’s Bắc Bling or Hoàng Thùy Linh’s music. These are examples of how cultural depth can be made contemporary and global.

Books are where creative media products begin. They are the backbone of national branding, giving it depth and lasting value. From books, we can develop films, cuisine, theatre, tuồng (Vietnamese classical drama) and more to introduce to the world.

In your view, what kind of publishing and knowledge ecosystem does Việt Nam need to build in order to promote its national image effectively?

The Government needs to be more strategic and determined. I’ve studied the policies of countries like South Korea, China, Japan and even Turkey. All of them have long-term cultural strategies.

For instance, South Korea invested heavily in translating and publishing their historical texts from Classical Chinese into Korean during the Park Chung-hee era. They consistently support international book fairs, subsidise visiting publishers and fund discussions and exchanges. They even built an entire book city — Paju — with over 90 publishing companies receiving state support.

South Korea also subsidises the translation and international publication of Korean books. As a result, many Korean works have made their way into Việt Nam.

Việt Nam needs a similar long-term and bold publishing strategy. The Government could support this directly or through a national cultural fund. We should establish at least one, if not several, Vietnamese publishing houses abroad — in countries with large Vietnamese diasporas such as the US, France or Australia. These would connect with international publishers and distribute Vietnamese books globally.

Honestly, this is already overdue — we should have started 50 years ago.

Another crucial step is creating a national translation fund to support the long-term translation of valuable works into foreign languages, then distribute them via platforms like Amazon or other international channels. We also need to sponsor authors, host international book fairs, organise writing contests and support the creation of new books on Vietnamese culture and history.

Recently, I’ve seen some promising examples, like books inspired by Tô Hoài’s Dế Mèn Phiêu Lưu Ký (The Adventures of a Cricket), or the animated film Trạng Quỳnh nhí: Truyền thuyết Kim Ngưu (Little Trạng Quỳnh: The Legend of the Golden Buffalo).

We’ve seen major state investments in sports or cinema, but often those are just 'bricks and cement'. If we view books as a form of soft power, then publishing deserves more than just infrastructure — it needs support in intellectual property, content development and global copyright strategy.

Are there any global models you believe Việt Nam should learn from?

As I mentioned, China, Japan and especially South Korea offer valuable lessons. From translation systems and publishing strategies to how they link knowledge with cultural products — they’ve done it all in a coordinated way.

Japan is excellent at honouring its cultural depth and heritage. Israel, though small in population, has a world-class academic system. And China has implemented a systematic strategy to export its culture.

Việt Nam should not copy them outright, but we can certainly learn how to treat knowledge as a national asset and invest accordingly.

What is the role of books in the age of AI, e-books and social media?

Technology doesn’t replace books; it enriches how we access knowledge. Books can now take the form of audiobooks, e-books, interactive apps — but the core remains: books are content, books are knowledge.

We must digitise and restore important works from our Han-Nôm heritage, and reprint and reintroduce valuable titles that have been forgotten. At the same time, we should support new writing and publishing initiatives.

Emerging formats like film, podcasts or social media should be based on knowledge — that is the only way they’ll gain true depth and sustainability.

If you could propose a national programme to promote Việt Nam through books and knowledge, what would your priorities be?

The Government should initiate a few key programmes.

First, we need to develop a 'Việt Nam Studies Book Collection' — both domestically and internationally. At home, it would help cultivate national pride and cultural awareness. Abroad, it should be a campaign to publish selected Vietnamese works in English, French, Japanese and other languages, and distribute them via Amazon, Google Books and academic channels.

We should host Việt Nam-themed book fairs or forums in major intellectual hubs like Oxford, Tokyo, Seoul or Paris.

For example, a national publishing fund could announce a list of the '100 greatest books on Vietnamese culture and history', then commit to funding their translation and publication worldwide.

This effort could be paired with international book fairs in Việt Nam, and support for foreign authors writing about Việt Nam.

Looking ahead, do you plan to launch any projects that contribute to building Việt Nam’s national brand through publishing or media?

Yes, my team and I are working on a project called Knowledge Việt Nam – Global Việt Nam. It will include a digital platform introducing Vietnamese books to the world, connecting local publishers with international partners and establishing centres for Việt Nam Studies at leading universities and research institutes abroad.

We’re also developing a documentary series featuring prominent Vietnamese books and authors, allowing Vietnamese knowledge not only to be read, but also seen and experienced across multiple senses.

A smaller project we’re pursuing is a series of books on Vietnamese cuisine — something that may resonate deeply with international readers.

Finally, as a Vietnamese and a book lover, how would you like the world to remember Việt Nam?

I hope Việt Nam will be remembered as a nation of intelligence and compassion — a place where people are not only friendly and creative, but also hungry to learn, and resilient in rising from war and historical wounds.

Việt Nam should be known not only as a tourist destination, but as a destination of peace, intellect and culture.  VNS