Vietnam respects right to freedom of religion and belief
Vietnam respects right to freedom of religion and belief: FM spokesperson
Vietnam has consistently pursued the policy of respecting and guaranteeing the right to freedom of citizens to follow or not follow any religion and belief, stated the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.
Buddhist monks and nuns pray for global peace during the 2019 United Nations Day of Vesak. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has consistently pursued the policy of respecting and guaranteeingthe right to freedom of citizens to follow or not follow any religion andbelief, stated the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.
This is clearly stated in the country’s Constitution, continuously improved inits legal system and policies on belief, and guaranteed and respected inreality, she said on July 4 in response to reporters’ queries about Vietnam’s comments on the InternationalReligious Freedom Report released by US Department of State.
Hangfurther explained that up to 95 percent of the Vietnamese population practise abelief or religion, of which over 24.3 million or 27 percent of the populationare religious followers.
Vietnamhas 53,000 religious dignitaries and 28,000 worshipping places, she said,adding that there are more than 8,000 religious festivals in the country eachyear.
Thecountry has hosted many major international religious events such as the 500th anniversary of the ProtestantReformation in 2017 and the United Nations Day of Vesak for the third time thisyear, Hang noted.
TheUS’s report recognised achievements and progress Vietnam has made in ensuringand promoting religious life, Hang said.
Shestressed that Vietnam and the US have maintained regular information exchangesand worked to intensify mutual understanding about issues of their concern.
However,the report still has some partial evaluations which are based on false informationabout Vietnam.
Vietnam stands ready to cooperate and hold dialogues with the US in the field inorder to narrow differences and strengthen mutual understanding, for the sake ofpeople of the two countries, she said.-VNA
Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lt. Gen. Bui Van Nam on March 11 asked local authorities and police to ensure tight security for the UN Day of Vesak 2019, which is slated for May 10-15 at the Tam Chuc Buddhist Culture Centre in Kim Bang district, the northern province of Ha Nam.
Head of Vietnam’s Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vu Chien Thang said he wishes that the Cambodian Ministry of Cults and Religion would create favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese following Buddhism and Caodaism in the country to join religious activities.
Vietnam always respects and supports the UN’s decision to make the Day of Vesak commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha a world cultural and religious festival, said National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
The 16th United Nations Day of Vesak has successfully wrapped up, offering participants wonderful experiences, Most Venerable Phra Brahmapundit, President of the International Council for Day of Vesak (ICDV), has said.
Under the official dispatch signed on June 20, ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and chairpersons of provincial and municipal People’s Committees are requested to concentrate efforts on implementing core measures to ensure the smooth operations of the new administrative framework.
The Party chief underscored the need for the press to innovate relentlessly, evolve to keep pace with the country's development, transform into a truly professional, humanistic, and modern sector that serves the cause of the Party, the State, and the people on the path to national construction and development.
The UN Secretary-General praised Vietnam’s remarkable achievements in socio-economic development and international integration in recent years, noting that the country has emerged as a model in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting international peace and security, and engaging in key UN processes.
Nghia affirmed that this is a milestone of special significance, affirming and honouring the the Vietnamese revolutionary press’s glorious tradition of 100 years of serving the revolutionary cause of the Party, serving the Fatherland, and serving the people.
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV, President Cuong said, the press has been a steadfast force on the ideological and cultural front, rallying the masses to pursue national aspirations.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
The show, together with a grand parade to be held silmutaneously at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).
In particular, in April 2023, the two sides successfully carried out a joint operation that dismantled a major organised, transnational drug trafficking ring involving both Vietnamese and Cambodian suspects.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
The launch of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, even before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is considered a testament to President Ho Chi Minh’s strategic foresight and strong belief in the guiding power of the revolutionary media.
New Zealand is currently one of Vietnam’s most important partners in the region, marked by a high level of political trust, strong and reliable defence and security cooperation, and increasingly open economic, trade, and investment ties.
Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee must be fully aware of the extremely important role of the People's Public Security force in the country's new revolutionary phase, so as to guide each branch and level of the force as the nation undergoes transformation.
Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Buddhist monks and nuns pray for global peace during the 2019 United Nations Day of Vesak. (Photo: VNA) 
