Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Cambodia, boasting similarities in the practice of Buddhism, should share experience with each other in building the great national solidarity to create favourable conditions for their people to exercise the right to freedom of belief and religion, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra said on July 31.

Hosting Cambodian Minister of Cults and Religions Chay Borin, Tra stressed that as a multi-religion country, Vietnam has paid due regard to the state management of religious affairs. Over the recent years, the religious situation in Vietnam has remained stable while the Party's policies and guidelines on the affairs have been carried out properly, thus ensuring solidarity and the respect for all people's right to the freedom of belief and religion to contribute to national development and the great national solidarity.

The host highly valued the cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs/the Government's Committee for Religious Affairs and the Cambodian Ministry of Cults and Religions. She expressed her hope that the two sides will discuss and reach consensus to bolster their cooperation regarding state management in the area in a more intensive and effective manner, aiming to promote the great national solidarity as well as the values of religions.

The Cambodian official, for his part, laid a stress on the friendly neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and time-tested comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, while affirming his commitment to fruitfully implementating the agreements signed between the two ministries.

At their talks following the reception, the two ministers briefed each other on their countries' religious situation and state management experience in the field. They also reviewed the implementation of the cooperation agreement on religious work for 2022 - 2026, signed in Ho Chi Minh City in November 2022.

The sides concurred to continue carrying out their cooperation agreement, improve the cooperation effectiveness in state management of religious affairs, and also encourage and create favourable conditions for the two Buddhist communities to enhance collaboration so as to make practical contributions to building solidarity and friendship between the two nations.

According to Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang, about 95% of the Vietnamese population practice a belief or a religion, with more than 27 million people, or 27% of the population, being religious followers. The State of Vietnam has ꧃been consistently implementing the policy of respecting and protecting the right to freedom of belief and religion for all, ensuring equality among the religions, and capitalising on religions’ cultural and ethical values along with resources for national development./.