Pope Francis welcomes Vietnamese leader to Vatican

• Italy, Vietnam solidify strategic partnership
• Vietnam strengthens ties with Italy, Vatican
• President’s visits to boost ties with Italy, Vatican, Francophone

At a meeting with the Vietnamese leader on November 23 evening (Vatican time), the Pope recalled the fine impressions he had during his meetings with Vietnam’s senior leaders in recent years. He also expressed his sentiment toward the Southeast Asian nation.

The Vatican highly values the country’s socio-economic development achievements, along with its collection of public opinions before approving the Law on Belief and Religion, he said.

Pope Francis (R) welcomes President Tran Dai Quang

President Quang thanked the Pope’s sentiment towards Vietnam and voiced his delight at the encouraging strides in bilateral relations.

Vietnam consistently respects and ensures the right to freedom of religion or belief of all people, he affirmed, adding that it has also continually fine-tuned the legal framework for ensuring that right.

He and Pope Francis shared the view on positive progress in the Vietnamese-Vatican relations as seen through high-level meetings and maintained dialogues via the joint working group mechanism.

Appreciating active contributions by Vietnam’s Catholic community over the past time, they underlined that the Catholic Church in Vietnam should operate as in line with law and Catholics should lead a good secular and religious life and be good citizens.

They also agreed to maintain dialogues and meetings between the two sides.

The meeting took place in a sincere and straightforward manner with mutual respect.

On this occasion, President Quang also met with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to exchange views on the Catholicism situation in Vietnam and the Vietnamese-Vatican relations.