Vietnam Calls on US to Objectively Assess Religion and Belief Situation

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Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu 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.

Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)

Although the report recognizes 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 emphasized 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 organizations 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 program 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 dealt with new challenges to combat in the region, according to the spokeswoman.

Vietnam is also making efforts to realize the goals set in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, following the plan issued by the Prime Minister on March 20, 2020, 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," noted the spokeswoman.

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