On the morning of April 6, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, who leads the task force on enhancing cooperation and responding proactively to U.S. economic and trade policy shifts, met with U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper in Hanoi.

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Son emphasized the significance of the recent phone call between General Secretary To Lam and President Donald Trump on April 4, reiterating the key messages conveyed by Vietnam’s top leader.

Vietnam, he affirmed, is prepared to negotiate a reduction of import tariffs on U.S. goods down to 0%, increase purchases of high-demand American products, and improve the investment climate for U.S. businesses operating in Vietnam.

At the same time, Vietnam proposed that President Trump postpone the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on Vietnamese exports while the two nations negotiate a broader trade agreement.

Deputy Prime Minister Son informed Ambassador Knapper that General Secretary To Lam had appointed a special envoy - Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc - to travel to the United States and continue concrete discussions. He requested the U.S. prioritize arranging meetings between Phoc’s delegation and key American partners to expedite a mutually beneficial agreement.

He expressed Vietnam’s understanding of the U.S.’s concerns over trade imbalances but also voiced regret over the U.S. decision to impose high retaliatory tariffs on Vietnamese goods. This, he noted, negatively impacts both nations’ businesses and millions of Vietnamese workers.

The Deputy Prime Minister asserted that the tariff decision was inconsistent with the realities of bilateral economic cooperation and undermined the spirit of the Vietnam–U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, casting a shadow over their otherwise thriving trade relations.

On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Son proposed that both sides continue to comprehensively implement cooperation across all areas of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

He also highlighted the significance of cooperation in post-war recovery efforts as a foundational element of bilateral relations. He praised Ambassador Knapper’s recent visit to Quang Tri province to witness bomb and mine clearance operations and the search for the remains of missing U.S. soldiers.

Deputy Prime Minister Son urged the ambassador to support efforts to maintain and expand U.S. humanitarian aid and war legacy recovery projects in Vietnam, especially in 2025 - a year marking the 30th anniversary of Vietnam–U.S. diplomatic ties.

Finding mutually beneficial trade solutions

Sharing Deputy Prime Minister Son’s assessments, Ambassador Knapper reaffirmed that Vietnam is a strategically important partner to the United States.

He acknowledged the Vietnamese government’s prompt and constructive response to U.S. concerns and highly valued the phone conversation between General Secretary To Lam and President Donald Trump. Notably, this was Trump’s first call with a foreign leader following the announcement of new tariffs - reflecting the strong mutual respect between the two leaders.

Ambassador Knapper praised the positive and substantive dialogue between both countries over recent months, which laid the groundwork for the high-level call. He committed to closely coordinating preparations for the upcoming U.S. visit of Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc.

He expressed appreciation for Vietnam’s understanding of the U.S. position and said the upcoming meetings present an opportunity for both sides to exchange ideas and identify practical solutions to ensure the trade relationship continues on a healthy, mutually beneficial path.

Ambassador Knapper emphasized the importance of 2025, marking 30 years of diplomatic relations and 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War. He affirmed the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi would work closely with Vietnamese authorities to implement an effective bilateral agenda and deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This includes promoting high-level exchanges and expanding cooperation across all sectors.

Tran Thuong