Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh (right) meets with Under-Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States Monsignor Miroslaw Stanislaw Wachowski yesterday. Photos baochinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh met with Under-Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States Monsignor Miroslaw Stanislaw Wachowski yesterday during his working visit to Việt Nam.

Deputy PM Minh expressed his delight at the positive development of relations between Việt Nam and the Holy See.

He emphasised the visits between the two sides would contribute to strengthening the common interests of the two sides as well as the interests of the Vietnamese Catholic community.

He suggested the Holy See continue to pay attention to and guide the Vietnamese Catholic community to accompany the nation, respect the law, and contribute to raising the good image of Catholicism in Việt Nam and promote the development of Việt Nam-Holy See relations.

Under-Secretary Wachowski expressed his gratitude for the welcome of the Vietnamese Government and affirmed that Pope Francis and the Holy See always want the relationship between Việt Nam and the Holy See to develop further.

He said he hoped Việt Nam would create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese Catholic community to actively contribute to the development of the country.

On this occasion, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh conveyed the invitation of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to invite Secretary of State of the Vatican City Cardinal Pietro Parolin to visit Việt Nam.

Under-Secretary Wachowski thanked him and said he would pass on the invitation to the Secretary of State.

On the same day, Deputy Foreign Minister Hà Kim Ngọc co-chaired the 9th round meeting of the Viet Nam-Holy See Working Group with Under-Secretary Wachowski.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Deputy Minister Ngọc expressed his gratitude for Pope Francis' decision to provide 100,000 euros for the Catholic community in Việt Nam.

He also expressed his appreciation for the support of the Vietnamese Catholic Church for the Vaccine Fund and the participation in the fight against the pandemic of priests and laypeople.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hà Kim Ngọc (right) welcomes Under-Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States Monsignor Miroslaw Stanislaw Wachowski yesterday.

He emphasised Việt Nam’s consistent policy of respecting and ensuring the people's right to freedom of belief and religion and needs of the Catholic Church, and facilitating the operation and development of the Vietnamese Catholic community.

Under-Secretary Wachowski expressed his pleasure to visit Việt Nam for the first time and thanked the Vietnamese Government for always paying attention to and facilitating religious practice, and organising religious events of the Vietnamese Catholic community.

The two sides agreed that the Việt Nam-Holy See relationship is currently developing positively and welcomed the maintenance of effective and flexible exchange mechanisms, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Within the 9th round meeting framework, the two sides exchanged opinions related to the draft Regulation on the operation of the Resident Special Envoy and the Office of the Resident Special Envoy of the Vatican in Việt Nam, in line with the roadmap to upgrade relations between the two sides.

The two sides also agreed to continue maintaining regular exchanges and contacts at all levels in order to promote relations between Việt Nam and the Vatican on the basis of cooperation, dialogue and mutual respect. — VNS