First published on April 27, 2024 on AD EXTRA
Last summer, Vietnam and the Vatican took another step toward formal diplomatic relations. The next might be a visit from the Pope, which would usher in a new era for Hanoi according to analysts. Outgoing President Vo Van Thuong invited the pope officially last year, at the same time as the signing of the agreement on the new papal resident representative. However, some like academic Bradley Murg believe that “the big question is whether Vietnam is a precursor to China: in my view, the answer is no.”
Archbishop Marek Zalewski, who arrived in Hanoi on January 31, is the first resident papal representative to assume this function since the end of diplomatic ties between the Holy See and Vietnam in 1975. “Whatever issues will continue to affect bilateral relations will now be addressed directly between the papal representative and the Vietnamese government,” believes Carl Thayer, professor emeritus at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
With official diplomatic relations, religious freedom would no longer be a problem for the approximately 7 million Vietnamese Catholics, or 6.6% of the population, following this issue has been a major political problem for almost half a century. Archbishop Zalewski, a 60-year-old Polish prelate, was appointed to Hanoi shortly following the signing of the resident papal representative agreement.
For Mgr Paul Gallagher, Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States, this evolution of bilateral relations represents a real renewal in Vietnam’s attitude towards the international community and the Catholic Church. He emphasizes that the Vatican hopes to see the Vietnamese authorities encouraged to “continue on the path to greater religious freedom, even if there is of course still work to do”.
According to him, it will still be necessary “a few more steps” before a papal trip can take place. Carl Thayer believes that the trips of two prominent Vatican diplomats (that of Archbishop Gallagher which took place this month, and that of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, which is expected to take place within the year ) should help move this forward.
“Vietnam recognizes the positive role of the local Church in social life”
Several Vietnamese bishops welcome Monsignor Marek Zalewski, pontifical resident representative, upon his arrival in Hanoi on January 31, 2024.© tonggiaophanhanoi.org / Ucanews
“The status of the Catholic community has been made official; “Vietnamese Communist Party cadres and government authorities today recognize the positive role of the local Church in social life, through charitable works, health and education”, adds Carl Thayer. In addition, the Church can buy property and build churches, he specifies, pointing out that seminaries ordain priests while the Vietnamese government has gradually lifted restrictions on the number of seminarians and ordained priests.
Carl Thayer adds that the normalization of relations would strengthen Vietnam’s status and prestige in the international community. Particularly with the American government, while the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom cites Vietnam as a “country of particular concern” in its annual report. A designation that Vietnam would like to see removed.
Brother James Rooney, assistant professor of philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University and member of the Dominican order, assures that Catholics around the world would react favorably to a normalization of ties with Vietnam. “I think we might compare this situation with the visit of John Paul II to Poland in 1979, even if the context is different. This way of reaching out to the Vietnamese government is roughly similar to the strategy that can be seen in China, and which others have called a revival of Ostpolitik [les relations diplomatiques du Vatican avec les États communistes du bloc de l’Est jusqu’à la dislocation]. It is a type of calming of relations with a view to obtaining freedom and the normalization of Catholic life in these countries. »
His sentiments are shared by Bradley Murg, academic and member of the Pacific Forum (foreign policy research institute focused on the Indo-Pacific), which emphasizes that Pope Francis, in the negotiations between the Vatican and Vietnam, is primarily concerned with pastoral attention to Vietnamese Catholics. “Vaticanists all say that the pope wants to go to Vietnam, that the pope sees Asia as the future of the Church. »
“Clearly, the Vatican’s strategy in China is the same as in Vietnam”
In the Vatican, Vietnam and China, many observers have also wondered whether the agreement on the appointment of Archbishop Zalewski and the prospects of a papal trip to Vietnam might promote better relations between the Holy See and China. Archbishop Zalewski, an experienced Holy See diplomat, was appointed to Vietnam at the same time as the appointment of another Catholic bishop to China, with the agreement of the Vatican.
It was the third episcopal consecration in the communist country in just seven days last January.“Clearly, the strategy is the same in China,” says brother James Rooney. “The diplomats of the Holy See have tried to imitate the Vietnamese model in China, and this is a sign of what they would like to see happen in mainland China,” he adds, even if he recognizes that China and Vietnam are very different. “Even though significant control is exercised in Vietnam over the Church and the government remains officially atheist, the Vietnamese Church has been able to go beyond an agreement on the appointment of bishops, and it enjoys greater freedom “, he explains.
For his part, Bradley Murg discusses violations of the “historic” 2018 agreement between the Vatican and China. The agreement was renewed for two years in 2020 and 2022, and it is expected to be renewed once more this year. “The Vietnamese needed 25 years of work and exchanges with the Holy See, it was a long process to build trust between the easing of restrictions, mutual commitments and visits from Vietnamese heads of state in Rome. A quarter of a century of constant and regular improvement”, he continues.
Mgr Zalewski, upon his arrival on January 31 in Hanoi.© giaophanthaibinh.net
But for him, comparing this to China, which has repeatedly violated the 2018 agreement with Rome, is limiting. He recalls that “Vietnam is a small country compared to China. “When a Vietnamese president goes to Rome, it gives a good image, but China – given its size and influence – does not need it as much. The big question is this: is Vietnam a precursor to China? In my opinion, the answer is no. Vietnam is not a model for Chinese engagement with the Vatican. »
The patient links initiated in Vietnam, a consolation for the future of relations with Beijing?
Multilateral relations between China, Vietnam, the Vatican and the West have been affected by the policies of Beijing and President Xi Jinping in recent years, as atheist communist ideology has been strengthened in a more unfavorable economic context. According to Carl Thayer, the Vatican might still use relations with Vietnam, particularly in the context of a papal visit to Vietnam, to try a new approach in China, where Catholicism is recognized but only for officially registered churches.
But the situation remains unchanged since 1951, when communist power was in full swing and religion was anathema, leading to an oppressive system that has been particularly felt by Catholics, Protestants and Muslims in recent years, facing a new wave of repression from Xi. “While China is likely to reject elements of the Vietnam model such as allowing the Church to appoint its own officials, the Vatican may also consider that the patient and gradual ties initiated with Vietnam in 1990 might offer some consolation concerning China”, adds Carl Thayer.
The latter cites as an example the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group, established in 2009 as a regular dialogue group, and the fact that Pope Francis has called on Vietnamese Catholics to be “good Christians and good citizens” while commending the Government of Vietnam for its cooperation.
The Vatican will want to demonstrate, through its relations with Vietnam, that its strategy is working
Since the end of the Cold War in 1989, China has used its growing economic clout to exert influence around the world. This influence is losing weight at the same time as the New Silk Roads (Belt and Road Initiative – a vast investment program along the ancient Silk Roads).
Unlike neighboring countries – Cambodia and Laos – Vietnam has not chosen only Chinese investors to support its economic growth. In fact, its growing economy has instead focused on exports to the West, including almost $100 billion a year to the United States alone. Exports to China, while old hostilities remain between the two countries, are almost twice as low.
Nor has Vietnam attempted to infiltrate Western cultures and its diaspora via Confucius Institutes which have served as Chinese propaganda and soured relations between Beijing and Western governments. On the contrary, analysts say, Vietnam has maintained an open-door policy through international trade, which has had a strong impact on the cultural and religious landscape.
Selon James Rooney, “Things are moving in the right direction.” “Vietnam seeks trade with other countries, especially the United States. There is no Patriotic Association of Catholics in Vietnam; the communication networks with the Holy See are open, without apparent interference or disruption.”
“I have had some feedback stating that the situation is not looking good yet. However, I would interpret their openness toward a papal visit as a clearly positive sign regarding what it might portend for Vietnamese Catholics,” he adds. “Of course, the Vatican diplomatic corps will want to demonstrate, through its relations with Vietnam, that its strategy is working. And that is part of what such a papal visit does: to publicly claim that the Church is welcomed and made peace with Vietnam. »
(With Ucanews / Luke Hunt)
