Party Chief meets with US religious leaders US Ambassador for Religion Freedom David Saperstein and first US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom (IRF) Robert Seiple have applauded the great significance of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s US visit, which is taking place on the eve of the anniversary 20 years of normalized relations between the two countries. At a July 8 meeting with US religious dignitaries, Party General Secretary Trong briefed them on the religious situation in Vietnam, saying Vietnam is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic nation with 54 ethnic minority groups. Since 1975, the number of religious parishioners has increased 2.5 times, from 10 million to 24 million. Religious dignitaries also posted a 2.7 fold increase and the number of worshiping areas has sprung like mushrooms. In Vietnam, most families, citizens have the belief of worshiping ancestors, parents and grandparents. Under the Constitution and laws of Vietnam, all people have the right to follow or not follow a religion. In the country, there is no religious conflict and ethnic conflict and all live in harmony. Vietnam is embarking on building a law-governed State and needs to continue to supplement and revamp legal regulations towards a better future, Trong noted. At the meeting, participants discussed some religious issues of shared concern, saying that Vietnam and the US are in the process of reconciliation and there is much that needs to be done towards reconciliation between the two peoples grounded on the foundation built in recent years. On the occasion, US religious leaders extended a message greeting General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and expressing their confidence in stronger Vietnam-US ties in the coming period. VOV