Vietnam - Holy See relations record much progress: officials
The Vietnam - Holy See Joint Working Group held the 10th-round meeting in the Vatican on March 31 under the co-chair of Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and Monsignor Miroslaw Wachowski, Under-Secretary for the Holy See's Relations with States.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (R) and Monsignor Miroslaw Wachowski, Under-Secretary for the Holy See's Relations with States, at the meeting in the Vatican. (Photo: VNA)
Rome (VNA) – The Vietnam - HolySee Joint Working Group held the 10th-round meeting in the Vatican onMarch 31 under the co-chair of Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs LeThi Thu Hang and Monsignor Miroslaw Wachowski, Under-Secretary for the Holy See's Relations with States.
In the spirit of friendship, mutualunderstanding, and mutual respect, the two sides discussed the Vietnam - Holy Seerelations and issues related to the Vietnam Catholic Church.
Hang affirmed Vietnam’sconsistent policy of respecting and ensuring people’s freedom of belief andreligion, and that administrations at all levels have always paid attention toand created favourable conditions for activities of religions, including Catholicism.
She proposed the Holy See payattention to and guide the Catholic community of Vietnam to stay attached toand stand side by side with the State and people, contribute to the country’sdevelopment, and bring into play the fine cultural and ethical values ofCatholicism, thereby helping to promote the Vietnam - Holy See ties.
The 10th-round meeting of the Vietnam - Holy See Joint Working Group on March 31. (Photo: VNA)
Wachowski noted that theHoly See always hopes that the Vietnam Catholic Church operates in line withVietnam’s law and actively contributes to the country’s development inconformity with the Church’s teachings of “living the gospel amidst the nation”and that “a good Catholic must be a good citizen”.
At the meeting, the two sides sharedthe view that the relations between Vietnam and the Holy See have recorded muchprogress in the recent past as seen in the regular meetings and consultations,high-level delegation exchanges, and frequent pastoral visits by Archbishop MarekZalewski, Non-Resident Pontifical Representative and Special Envoy of the HolySee, to Vietnam.
They also discussed and basicallyagreed on the working regulations for the Holy See’s Resident Representativeand Resident Representative Office in Vietnam.
On this occasion, Hang had a meeting with Secretary for the Holy See's Relations with States Archbishop Paul Gallagher./.
The Vietnamese Party, State and Government always pay attention to legitimate aspirations of religious organisations, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang told Franklin Graham, President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).
The Vietnamese Party and State and the administration of Ho Chi Minh City always respect religions and ensure the operation of religious organisations and believers within the framework of the law, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ngo Minh Chau said on March 3.
The Government Committee for Religious Affairs released the white book on religions and religious policies in Vietnam at a conference held by the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications in Hanoi on March 9.
The consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State in ensuring people's right to freedom of belief has been enshrined in the country's Constitutions issued in 1946, 1959, 1980, 1992 and 2013, creating favourable conditions for all religions in the country.
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.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (R) and Monsignor Miroslaw Wachowski, Under-Secretary for the Holy See's Relations with States, at the meeting in the Vatican. (Photo: VNA) 
The 10th-round meeting of the Vietnam - Holy See Joint Working Group on March 31. (Photo: VNA) 
