Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng and Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the first Resident Papal Representative in Việt Nam, had talks on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Monday for Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the first Resident Papal Representative in Việt Nam, according to the announcement from the ministry on Tuesday.

Highlighting the growing ties between Việt Nam and the Holy See, Hằng noted the positive developments fueled by high-level visits and exchanges. She specifically pointed to the approval of operating regulations for the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Việt Nam during President Võ Văn Thưởng's 2023 visit to the Holy See as a crucial milestone.

Underlining Việt Nam's commitment to this progress, the Vietnamese diplomat assured Zalewski of full support from Vietnamese agencies, toward the shared goals of strengthening ties between Việt Nam and the Holy See, and the Holy See and the Vietnamese Catholic Church, and fostering national development as well.

Zalewski, for his part, thanked the Vietnamese agencies for their support during his tenure as Non-Resident Special Envoy to Việt Nam, and wished that Việt Nam will continue facilitating his activities in his new role to fulfill the mission entrusted by Pope Francis.

He also vowed to contribute to further increasing high-level contacts and dialogues in the spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding, thus solidifying relations between the Holy See and Việt Nam as well as the Việt Nam Catholic Church. — VNS