Việt Nam defends human rights records
Foreign ministry's spokeswoman Phạm Thu Hằn yesterday defended Việt Nam's records of human rights achieve
welnl ads ments as reaffirmed the Government's commitment to religious and press freedom at the regular media briefing in Hà Nội.
In response to requests for reaction over the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)'S latest report which considers Việt Nam among countries heavily suppressing religions, spokeswoman Hằng said Việt Nam's consistent policy is to respect and ensure people's freedom of belief and religion, as well as their choices to follow or not follow a religion.
"This has been clearly demonstrated in Việt Nam's 2013 Constitution and legal system, and has been done in practice," she stressed.
Hằng said that Việt Nam's policies and achievements in protecting human rights, including freedom of religion and belief have been recognised and highly appreciated by the international community, which were the assessments by many countries during the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’S fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
"Việt Nam refuted the biased, inaccurate information contained within the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom's report," Hằng added.
The diplomat also reaffirmed that Việt Nam will continue to discuss with the US issues of mutual interest in the spirit of openness, candour and mutual respect, to promote the Việt NAM-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation, and Development.
Regarding the Reporters Without Borders' ranking of Việt Nam at the 174th position out of 180 countries in its press freedom index, spokesperson Hằng said Việt Nam has always been keen to protect and promote fundamental human freedom rights, including freedom of expression, speech, press and information - which were all outlined in the 2013 Constitution and other legal documents.
"The achievements in this area were recognised and appreciated by the international community and has been clearly comprehensively and transparently presented in the Việt Nam's national report on the protection and promotion of human rights under the UPR cycle."
"Nevertheless, some organisations intentionally makes biased, slanderous statements against Việt Nam with the intention of undermining social economic development, and divide Việt Nam and the international community, in the country," Hằng said, adding that "we strongly oppose this."
Deputy foreign minister Đỗ Hùng Việt is currently leading the Vietnamese delegation to attend the dialogue on Việt Nam's national report on human rights protection and promotion under the UPR mechanism.
Việt presented the national report and reaffirmed the Government's consistent policy for protecting and promoting human rights, and viewing the people as the centre, the goal and driver of development.
The report also stressed that since the third cycle UPR reviews in 2019, Việt Nam has been continuously making improvements to its legal system and policies on human rights and achieved practical results, according to the spokesperson.
On this occasion, the Vietnamese delegation has asserted Việt Nam's priorities on the promotion and protection of human rights in the coming future, including the building of a law-governed Socialist state, administrative reforms, fostering positive dialogue and cooperation on human rights and intensive human rights education.
The UPR session of Việt Nam garnered significant attention with over 130 countries participating in the dialogue.
"Countries acknowledged
Việt Nam's policy, efforts, and achievements in ensuring human rights as well as its commitment to earnestly implementing the recommendations by UPR and commended Việt Nam's accomplishments in economic development, guaranteeing social justice and implementing measures to promote the realisation of human rights," spokeswoman Hằng told the media.
Cambodia's canal project
Việt Nam hopes Cambodia will continue to closely coordinate with Việt Nam and other countries in the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to fully share information to understand more in-detail impacts of the planned megaproject Funan Techo canal, spokeswoman Phạm Thu Hằng has said, in response to information that Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol claimed his country is not neglecting providing information about the project to Việt Nam.
The Cambodian official also stated that the project only requires five cu.m of water per second, equivalent to 0.053 per cent of the river flow, and stressed that the Funan Techo canal could even contribute to reducing floods in southern Việt Nam.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hằng underscored that the information Việt Nam has received so far about the Funan Techo project "is not sufficient to make a detailed, specific assessment of the project's impact."
Therefore, Việt Nam hopes that Cambodia will continue to closely coordinate with Việt Nam and other countries in the Mekong area to share full information and assess the detailed impacts of this project on water resources and the ecological environment of the Mekong River basin sub-region, as well as mutual and long-term management measures to ensure the harmonisation of the interests of riparian countries, efficient and sustainable management and utilisation of Mekong River water resources, Hằng remarked.
Earlier in a statement released last Sunday, the spokesperson emphasised that: "Việt Nam is very interested in and respects the legitimate interests of Cambodia in accordance with the 1995 Mekong Agreement, relevant regulations of the MRC and the traditional neighborly relationship between the two countries."
On Monday, during a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính affirmed that Việt Nam wants to cooperate closely with Cambodia and other countries in the Mekong River basin in activities related to the sustainable use, management, protection, and development of the Mekong River, ensuring the harmonised interests of the countries involved for the sustainable development of the basin and the benefits of communities along the basin.
The Funan Techo Canal is planned to be 180km long, passing through provinces of Cambodia, with approximately 1.6 million people living on both sides of the river's section.
The construction is slated to start at the fourth quarter of 2024.
Market economy reviews
The spokeswoman also received queries regarding the United States Commerce Department's May 8 hearing on whether to upgrade the country to market economy status.
The diplomat said Việt Nam welcomed the hearing and remarked that this is an important step in the process of reviewing Việt Nam's application for market economy status recognition.
"During the hearing, the Vietnamese side clearly stated its arguments with information and data affirming that our economy completely meets the criteria of a market economy. Additionally, we also emphasised that the performance of Vietnamese economy is even better than many economies that the US have recognised as market economies," she remarked.
The lifting of the non-market economy label would spare Việt Nam from US' anti-dumping duties against the imported goods. The final decision from the US Commerce Department is expected on July 26, 2024.
The diplomat pointed out that currently, 72 countries recognise Việt Nam as having a market economy, including major economies such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Japan.
Việt Nam has also participated in 16 bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements with over 60 partners across continents.
"The early recognition of Việt Nam's market economy status by the United States will contribute to the realisation of the commitments of the two countries' high-level leaders, enhancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and the US, thereby promoting economic and trade relations for the concrete benefits of businesses and people of both countries," Hằng said.