US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper. Photo: Doan Tan/VNA

Discussing religions and religious freedom in Hanoi on Friday with US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper, Thang said he hopes the Ambassador will make an important contribution to promoting the relationship between the two Governments and peoples, truly being the "Ambassador on religion and religious policy" for Vietnam in the US.

The Deputy Minister said Vietnam has just published a white paper on its religion, guidelines, policies and achievements, adding that the Party and State of Vietnam are very attentive to the religious organizations’ opinions.

He affirmed an undeniable fact that religious freedom policy and practice of religions in Vietnam has made remarkable progress, been open and fruitful. However, unfortunately, last December, the US State Department put Vietnam on a special watch list of countries to be monitored for religion, Thang said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is making efforts to work with religions and agencies, to solve this problem and facilitate bilateral relations in other areas.

The Deputy Minister suggested that the US side from a general perspective make a general assessment of the guidelines and policies of the Party and State of Vietnam and expected that the Embassy and Ambassador Knapper will support this matter.

Knapper said Vietnam is currently making progress in improving conditions for religious followers and that the US recognizes the religious freedom progress  Vietnam has made over the years.

The special watch list is reviewed every year and the US Embassy in Vietnam hopes to cooperate to remove Vietnam from this list, the Ambassador said.