Ambassador meets World Evangelical Alliance chief in New York
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has emphasised Vietnam’s consistent policy of ensuring and promoting the right to freedom of belief and religion of all people, without any discrimination.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations. (UN) (Photo: VNA)
New York (VNA) – Ambassador Dang HoangGiang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has emphasisedVietnam’s consistent policy of ensuring and promoting the right to freedom ofbelief and religion of all people, without any discrimination.
At a meeting with Dr. phil. Thomas Schirrmacher,Secretary General & CEO of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) in New Yorkon April 6, the diplomat noted that the policy is enshrined in theConstitution, the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion, and other relevantdocuments.
Therefore, religions in Vietnam, including Protestantism,have favourable conditions to develop healthily, contributing to national socio-economicstability and development, he continued.
Vietnam is home to more than 1 million Protestantsin all of its 63 cities and provinces, and some 90 organisations andgroups.
Giang also stressed that Vietnam stands ready tohold dialogues and cooperate with countries and organisations in issuesregarding human rights and religious freedom, in the spirit of mutual respectand understanding.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry last month launchedVietnam's voluntary midterm report on the implementation of Universal PeriodicReview (UPR) third cycle recommendations and announced the country's candidacyto the UN Human Rights Council in the 2023-2025 tenure, he stressed.
For his part, Schirrmacher expressed his impressionon Vietnam’s policies, laws and achievements in protecting and promoting humanrights, including religious freedom, as well as the ambassador’s open,constructive and sincere dialogue spirit in this field.
The two sides also compared notes on regional andinternational issues of common concern like climate change and UN reform.
Established in London in 1846, the WEA seeks tostrengthen local churches through national alliances, supporting andcoordinating grassroots leadership and seeking practical ways to show theunity of the body of Christ./.
Religious activities on social networks have become increasingly diverse amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution. However, apart from proper practices, some individuals and organisations have taken advantage of the internet to carry out illegal activities, which requires state agencies to take countermeasures.
Throughout the “Doi moi” (Renewal) process, the belief and religious life in Vietnam has changed towards greater freedom and progress, which has been recognised by the international community.
Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vu Hoai Bac visited and offered Tet greetings to religious dignitaries and followers in Ho Chi Minh City on the thresholds of the Lunar New Year festival (Tet).
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations. (UN) (Photo: VNA) 
