Vatican and Vietnam agree to open resident Holy See office in Hanoi, as relations improve

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Vietnam has formally agreed to let a Vatican representative live in the country and open an office. The Holy See announced the conclusion of an agreement during a visit to the Vatican by Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, who met with Pope Francis. The agreement Thursday still falls short of full diplomatic relations, which have been strained for decades. But the two sides have held regular talks since at least 1990 studying the renewal of ties. The notching up of relations could have implications down the line for the Holy See’s delicate ties with China.