ANNOUNCEMENTS

+ The Prime Minister will attend the G7 Summit during his working visit to Japan (19 - 21 May)

At the invitation of Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will lead the Vietnamese high-level delegation attending the G7 expanded Summit in Japan from 19 to 21 May.

This is the third time that Viet Nam will attend the G7 expanded Summit and the second time attending at the invitation of Japan. The trip takes place as Viet Nam and Japan are commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

During the trip, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to attend the official welcome ceremony for Heads of Delegation, attend and deliver remarks at sessions with leaders and international organizations on food, health, climate change response, peace and development.

The Prime Minister will also meet with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, deliver remarks at the meeting with leaders of major Japanese enterprises, and meet with economic organizations and major enterprises in Japan.

Also on this occasion, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of countries and international organizations as part of the Summit.

+ Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia pays an official visit to Viet Nam (22 - 23 May)

At the invitation of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Tanja Fajon will pay an official visit to Vietnam from 22-23 May.

DPM Tanja Fajon's visit aims to promote bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas such as trade-investment, tourism, culture, education-training, as well as to finalize the activities commemorating the 30th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations in 2024. The two sides will also discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern.

+ WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala pays a working visit to Viet Nam (17 - 19 May)

From 17 to 19 May, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will pay a working visit to Viet Nam.

During the visit, the WTO Director-General had a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and with leaders of a number of ministries and agencies of Viet Nam.

The visit takes place as Viet Nam has just celebrated the 15th anniversary of its accession to the WTO, it is an opportunity for both sides to discuss in-depth the opportunities and directions for strengthening cooperation between Viet Nam and the WTO in the near future.

On this occasion, the WTO Director-General also carry out a number of activities such as meeting with the Viet Nam Association for Women Entrepreneurs and meeting with students at Hanoi Foreign Trade University.

Q&A

1. Viet Nam News Agency: What is Viet Nam’s comment on the 2022 International Religious Freedom Report of the US Department of State on 15 May and the 2023 Annual Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom?

As a multiethnic, multireligious country with diverse religious lifestyles, the State of Viet Nam consistently implements the policy of respecting and ensuring the freedom of belief and religion, and the right to follow or not follow a religion, ensuring equality and non-discrimination based on religious beliefs. Religious organizations’ activities are also protected under the law.

These rights are recognized in the 2013 Constitution, the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion and other relevant legal documents, and have been upheld in practice. 

Even though the 2023 Annual Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the 2022 International Religious Freedom Report of the US Department of State have recognized Viet Nam’s progress in promoting religious freedom and referenced official information from Vietnamese government agencies, they have still made unobjective assessments based on unverified and incorrect information on the situation in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam stands ready to discuss with the US on issues of mutual interest on the basis of openness, candor and mutual respect regarding differing issues, to contribute to strengthening the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries.

2. Tuoi Tre: Can the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provide more information on the rescue of 1000 foreign nationals in the Philippines? What is the current status of the Vietnamese citizens and how many of them were rescued?

As we have previously reported, acting on the directions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs leaders, so far the Embassy of Viet Nam in the Philippines is working closely with local authorities to determine the residence status of these laborers, and are working together to provide the Philippine government with more information to expedite the process of investigating and putting forward possible solutions, to implement citizen protection measures in a timely manner, ensuring the rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens.

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that the government of Viet Nam promotes legal, safe and orderly migration, while resolutely fighting against illegal migration, human smuggling and human trafficking.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with relevant authorities to raise awareness for the people wishing to search for jobs abroad, to warn them against false promises of easy labor with high pay that don’t require qualifications, for they may fall victim to labor exploitation at online gambling facilities, become illegal migrants or even victims of human trafficking.

3. Tuoi Tre: Recently, there have been information that Chinese research vessels are operating in Viet Nam’s EEZ. Can you provide more information and Viet Nam’s comment on this?

Viet Nam has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the waters in the South China Sea in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS. Regarding the violations of the waters and of Viet Nam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese competent authorities are deploying appropriate measures in accordance with international and Vietnamese law to ensure the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of Viet Nam.

4. Tuoi Tre: What is Viet Nam’s reaction to the Philippines installing navigational buoys with the Philippine flag in the waters surrounding Viet Nam’s Spratly islands?

As reiterated on numerous occasions, Viet Nam has full legal basis and historical evidence to assert its sovereignty over the Spratly islands in accordance with international law. Viet Nam strongly opposes any acts violating Viet Nam’s sovereign rights and related rights pertaining to these islands.

Viet Nam asks that relevant parties respect Viet Nam’s sovereignty, international law, the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), actively and meaningfully contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the South China Sea as well as in creating a favorable environment for the negotiation of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

5. VnExpress: Can you provide more information on the incident in which a Vietnamese citizen is alleged to have died in Ibaraki (Japan) at the end of April?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed Vietnamese diplomatic missions in Japan to continue working closely with local authorities to verify the information and report back at the earliest. Citizen protection measures are also ready to be deployed to ensure the lawful rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens.

6. VnExpress: What is Viet Nam’s reaction to China opening a restaurant on Viet Nam’s Paracel islands?

Viet Nam has full legal basis and historical evidence to assert its sovereignty over the Paracel islands in accordance with international law. Viet Nam strongly opposes any actions that violate Viet Nam’s sovereignty and relevant rights pertaining to these islands.

7. Phoenix TV: From 23 to 25 May, a Chinese Naval training ship will visit Da Nang port. Can you comment on this and provide additional information on this visit?  

This activity is part of the Viet Nam - China bilateral cooperation mechanism to strengthen the two countries’ friendship and respective naval forces.