Hanoi, April 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên, head of the Vietnamese Government’s trade negotiation delegation, held a phone call on Wednesday evening with United States Trade Representative Jamieson L. Greer to officially commence negotiations on bilateral economic and trade issues between Vietnam and the United States.
The call marked a significant milestone, setting the foundation for future discussions by outlining the principles, scope, and roadmap of the negotiation process. Joining the call were members of the Government’s negotiation team as well as technical-level representatives from relevant Vietnamese ministries and agencies.
Minister Diên reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to deepening its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the United States. He emphasised the country’s desire to promote economic and trade ties in a balanced, stable, sustainable, and effective manner. The Minister also affirmed that Vietnamese ministries and agencies are prepared to engage in open and constructive dialogue to address U.S. concerns, with the aim of achieving mutually beneficial solutions grounded in the principle of harmonised interests and shared responsibilities.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson L. Greer welcomed the agreement to begin formal trade discussions and expressed optimism about the potential for progress. He voiced confidence in the ability of both parties to identify appropriate measures to strengthen economic and trade relations in a way that is both stable and mutually advantageous.
Concluding the call, both sides agreed to maintain regular communication at the head-of-delegation and technical levels in order to advance negotiations on specific matters.
The launch of bilateral trade talks comes amid heightened attention to tariff policies. Việt Nam was among the countries affected by the reciprocal tariff measures announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in early April, which imposed a 46 per cent rate on Vietnamese exports.
Shortly thereafter, in a separate phone call, General Secretary Tô Lâm, Vietnam’s top leader, conveyed to President Trump that Vietnam is willing to reduce all tariffs on American goods to zero per cent, and urged the U.S. to consider reciprocal actions for Vietnamese exports.
The developments signal a new phase in the Vietnam-U.S. economic relationship, with both nations seeking pathways to deepen cooperation and resolve trade imbalances through structured negotiations.
