- Vietnam is “ready” to negotiate to remove all US import tariffs, a senior official said Sunday.
- It is also seeking a delay to the 46% import levy announced by President Donald Trump.
- The statement confirms comments made by Trump on Friday.
Vietnam is looking to negotiate to remove all US import tariffs as it pushes for a delay to levies announced by President Donald Trump earlier this week, a senior official said Sunday.
Bui Thanh Son, one of Vietnam’s several deputy prime ministers, said during a reception for the US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper that the government was ready to work out a deal to reduce the tariffs on US goods to 0%.
He also called for a delay to Trump’s 46% levy on Vietnamese imports — announced as part of Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs — “to create an environment conducive for the two sides’ tax negotiations,” according to a government press release.
To Lam, the head of Vietnam’s Communist Party, has sent a special envoy to the US to continue talks on the matter, Bui said.
Lam has reportedly requested that Trump postpone the tariffs by at least 45 days after April 9.
Bui’s statement confirms comments made by Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday.
The president said he had held a “very productive call” with Lam, who he said told him that Vietnam wanted to make an arrangement to cut tariffs on US goods to zero.
Nike, which has key manufacturing facilities in Vietnam, saw its stock surge on the back of Trump’s post.
Trump’s baseline 10% tariff rates came into force Saturday. Higher rates on certain nations, such as Vietnam, are set for April 9.
