Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung. (Photo: VNA)
Rome (VNA)🔯 – Vietnam – Vatican relations haveseen new positive progress, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung.
Talking to Vietnam News Agency reporters in Rome on theoccasion of the visit by President Vo Van Thuong to the Vatican on July 27, theambassador said that in meetings of the Pope and the Vatican's officials with Vietnamese representatives, the Holy See side assessed that the two sides' relations were developing positively, andexpressed their wish to further promote the relations with Vietnam in thecoming time. He noted that on the occasions of the last Christmas and New Year 2023, high-ranking leaders of Vietnam for the first time sent congratulatory messages to Pope Francis, and the Pope also asked the VietnameseAmbassador to Italy to convey his Christmas and New Year greetings toleaders and people of Vietnam.
Recently, at the10th-round meeting of the Vietnam - Vatican Joint Working Group, the two sidesbasically agreed on the content of regulations for the Holy See’s ResidentRepresentative and Resident Representative Office in Vietnam, the ambassador said, stressing that the result is especially significant after 14 years of negotiations.
💧 He added that Vietnam and the Vatican are taking the final steps to approve the regulations, thus lifting the bilateral relationship to the level of permanent representative soon.
According to the diplomat, the Vatican side is always willing to arrangeexchanges and working programmes between Vietnamese delegations and the HolySee's competent agencies. The latest one was the meeting between Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council Pham Van Linh and the Vatican representativesin June this year. In addition, the Holy See also regularly sends representatives toparticipate in activities organised by the Embassy of Vietnam in Italy, whichcontributes to strengthening the relationship between the two sides.
During his visit to the Vatican, President Vo VanThuong is expected to meet Pope Francis and the Vatican’s Secretary of StateCardinal Pietro Parolin.
𝔉 Ambassador Hung assessed that the positive development ofthe Vietnam-Vatican relationship over the past time is in line with the wishesand aspirations of both sides.
In Vietnam, the Catholic Church and over 7 millionparishioners will have better conditions in performing their religious practice following Vietnamese law, and in the spirit of "good Catholics are good citizens", Ambassador Hung said, noting that this is also an important premisefor the two sides to continue to work together to further their relations inthe coming time.
Regarding thepotential for cooperation between Vietnam and the Vatican, the Ambassador saidthat the two sides are actively preparing to officially upgrade therelationship to the level of the Permanent Representative of the Holy See inVietnam. This is considered to be a new historic step in theirbilateral relationship, as well as an important premise to open up a new phase inwhich cooperation potentials between Vietnam and the Vatican will be exploitedand promoted./.
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.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam (CBCV) hosted a meeting of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) themed “FABC 50 Bangkok Document and its implications for Asia” in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau from June 5-10, looking back on the 50-year operation of the FABC and sharing ideas about activities to protect the environmental, ensure social justice and migration in Asia.
President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse will pay an official visit to Austria, a State visit to Italy and a visit to the Vatican from July 23-28, at the invitations of President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Italy Sergio Mattarella and Pope Francis.
President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse left Hanoi on July 23 morning for an official visit to Austria, a State visit to Italy and a visit to the Vatican.
President Vo Van Thuong’s visit to the Vatican on July 27 will help open up new prospects for bilateral relations in the coming time, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang.
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.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Thirty years ago, on July 28, 1995, Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN marked a historic strategic decision, opening a new chapter in the country’s integration process and beginning its strong rise.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung. (Photo: VNA) 
