Vietnam rejects unobjective judgements in US report on int’l religious freedom
Vietnam rejects the unobjective, prejudiced and imprecise judgements about the reality in the country made in the 2024 annual report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), emphasised spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.
Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang. (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam rejects the unobjective, prejudiced and imprecise judgements about the reality in the country made in the 2024 annual report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), emphasised spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.
She made the remark while replying to the media’s question about the issue at the ministry’s regular press conference on May 9.
Hang said Vietnam has consistently implemented a policy of respecting and ensuring people’s right to freedom of religion or belief, and the right to follow or not follow religion.
In Vietnam, no one is discriminated on the grounds of religion or belief, and activities of religious organisations are ensured in line with legal regulations. This is clearly reflected in the 2013 Constitution, the country’s legal system, as well as in reality, she went on.
Vietnam’s policies, efforts, and achievements in ensuring human rights, including the freedom of religion or belief, have been recognised and highly valued by many countries. These are also the assessments made by the countries participating in the dialogue on Vietnam's national report under the United Nations Human Rights Council’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, according to the spokeswoman.
🧸 Stressing the country’s rejection of the unobjective, biased, and imprecise judgements made in the USCIRF’s 2024 annual report, she said, “We have been discussing the issues of shared concern with the US side in the spirit of openness, straightforwardness, and mutual respect to contribute to the promotion of the comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development between Vietnam and the US.”/.
The Vietnamese State always respects and protects the right to freedom of religion or belief for all, and does not discriminate against any based on religion or belief, affirmed Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Nguyen Van Ky.
Twenty years ago, Vietnamese in the Russian Federation with faith in God were the first members of the Christian Word of Life Church to return to their homeland where the religious organisation is based.
The diversity of religious activities, including festivals, clearly demonstrates that the right to freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam is guaranteed in line with Article 24 of the 2013 Constitution which stipulates that everyone shall enjoy freedom of belief and religion, and can follow any religion or follow none; and the State respects and protects the freedom of belief and of religion, according to insiders.
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.
