PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Cardinal  Fernando Filoni, Ha Noi, January 20, 2015 - Photo: VGP

The Government chief expressed his belief that the Vatican Cardinal’s visit to Viet Nam would help him to understand more about the country, people, religious policies and life of Catholic followers in Viet Nam.

He took the occasion to congratulate Ha Noi’s newly named cardinal Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon, regarding this as the common joy for all the Vietnamese Catholics.

PM Dung spokes highly of the Vietnamese Catholic communities’ active contributions to the national development.

PM Dung said the prospect of the Viet Nam-Vatican relations is very fine despite ups and downs during the long-lasting history of the bilateral ties. Both sides have maintained annual talks, regular contacts and meetings, and dialogues. Particularly, the recent high-level contacts have helped move the relationship forwards.

The host leader asked the two sides to continue frank dialogues on the basis of sincerity, mutual understanding and trust, and mutual respect as the development of the bilateral ties will benefit the community of seven million Catholic followers in Viet Nam.

Cardinal Fernando Filoni congratulated on the achievements gained by Viet Nam, saying that dialogues will make every relation better.

He said that the establishment of diplomatic ties betwen Viet Nam and the Holy See will be come real.

By Quang Minh