Vietnam requests US to objectively assess religion and belief situation

Vietnam requests the US to give objective assessments of the real religion and belief situation in the Southeast Asian nation based on accurate and comprehensive information sources and soon remove Vietnam from the special watch list for religious freedom, Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on July 4.

Hang made the statement while responding to a reporter's query on Vietnam’s reaction to the US Department of State’s 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom, in which Vietnam is placed on its special watch list.

Although the report recognises some of the progress Vietnam has made in protecting and promoting freedom of religion and belief, it still gives unobjective comments based on unverified and inaccurate information about the reality in the country, the spokeswoman said.

She emphasised that as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country with a rich belief and religious life, Vietnam consistently pursues the policy of respecting and ensuring the right to freedom of belief and religion, with no one discriminated on the grounds of religion and belief, and the operation of religious organisations ensured in line with legal regulations.

Such rights are enshrined in Vietnam’s Constitution 2013, the Law on Belief and Religion 2016, and other relevant legal documents, and are respected in reality, she said.

Vietnam stands ready to work together with the US over matters of shared concern in the spirit of frankness, openness and mutual respect in contentious issues, thereby contributing to the enhancement of the Vietnam - US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Hang affirmed.

Also at the meeting, the spokeswoman answered a reporter's question regarding the US Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, saying Vietnam welcomes the US’s objective assessments of the Southeast Asian country's positive results in human trafficking prevention and control.

She said over the past time, Vietnam has stepped up the fight against human trafficking following key tasks and solutions set in the programme on anti-human trafficking for 2021 – 2025 with a vision until 2030, notably adjustments to the Law on Human Trafficking Prevention and Control 2011, and the enhancement of investigation, prosecution and handling of human trafficking cases.

The country has defined and supported victims of human trafficking, and promptly deal with new challenges to the combat in the region, according to the spokeswoman.

Vietnam is also making efforts to realise the goals set in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, in accordance with the plan issued by the Prime Minister on March 20, 2020, in order to strengthen a transparent migration environment, protect the legitimate rights and interests of migrants, and prevent the risk of human trafficking in international migration activities, she said.

“In that spirit, we hope that the two countries will continue their close cooperation, and increase exchanges and dialogues to comprehensively and positively evaluate Vietnam's efforts and achievements in human trafficking prevention and control, in line with the spirit of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Hang noted.

TB (according to VNA)