Vietnam promotes religious freedom
(VOV) - The Party and State respect people’s right to freedom of religion and belief, and ensure all religions practise according to the law, PM Nguyen Tan Dung has said.
At a working session with the Government Committee for Religious Affairs on February 26, Dung said the Party and State have introduced a large number of policies to meet religious organisations’ demands.
As a result, he said, religions have operated more favourably, and followers have demonstrated their strong confidence in the efficacy of these policies.
He asked the committee to improve State management of religious affairs by making recommendations and involving itself in policy formulation relevant to the field.
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| PM Dung says the Party and State attach importance to religious affairs |
He also requested the committee continue monitoring religious sects’ legal compliance and enhance the quality of communications campaigns on religious affairs.
The committee must maintain vigilance against hostile forces’ subversive schemes attempting to sow division and undermine national unity, said Dung.
He reminded the committee to pay more attention to staff training to ensure religious staff have firm political consciences, grasp Party guidelines and policies on religion, and respect them in practice.
Vietnam has officially recognised 13 religions practised by nearly 24 million followers at 25,000 places of worship across the country.
Buddhism takes the lead with 11 million followers, followed by Catholicism 7 million, Caodaism 2.4 million, and Protestantism more than 1 million.
About 95 percent of Vietnamese people profess faith in the belief system, and most worship their ancestors and traditional spirits.