Le Thi Thu Hang, spokeswoman for Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry

A spokesperson for Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry rejected the US State Department’s annual report on International Religious Freedom, saying the Vietnamese government upholds a consistent policy of respecting and ensuring people’s freedom of religion and belief.

People fully enjoys rights of religion and belief

Vietnam has 38 religious organizations, which have existed in Vietnam for thousands or just dozens of years, with over 24 million followers, 80,000 dignitaries, and 26,000 worship centers. 95% of the population practise a belief. 8,500 religious festivals are held annually in Vietnam. The 1946, 1959, 1980, 1992 and 2013 Constitutions all respect and guarantee the civil right to religion and belief.  

The National Assembly approved a Law on Religion and Belief in 2016, which states that the Vietnamese government respects and protects the right to religion and belief of both Vietnamese and foreigners legally residing in Vietnam. The Law prohibits activities that discriminate against religion and belief or constrain, force, bribe or prevent people from following to not follow a religion or belief. Vietnam’s law on freedom of religion and belief matches international law on human rights.

Religious practice in line with international law

Subversive forces have always tried to use freedom of religion as a weapon to sabotage the Vietnamese government. They have exploited religious affairs in the community and the implementation of religious policies relating to land clearance and compensation at the grassroot level to entice people to damage property, resist officials, disturb public security, and impede traffic.

As in other countries, religious practices must abide by the law. Law violators, both religious and non-religious, will be punished by law. Vietnam has regulations against subversive forces and religious opportunists who try to infringe national security and social order.

Setting back Vietnam-US relations

The US State Department’s annual report on International Religious Freedom, was first compiled during the Cold War, when Vietnam and the US followed social systems that confronted each other. Leaders of both countries signed a comprehensive partnership agreement in 2013, acknowledging the principles of respecting the UN charter and the other’s political regime.

Although the report has revised its analysis of Vietnam, it does not yet correctly reflect religion and belief in Vietnam. The report violates the bilateral agreement on comprehensive partnership, harms bilateral relations, and obstructs the development of cooperative ties.