Vietnam has pledged to increase imports of American goods, including defense and security equipment, and has requested a 45-day delay in newly announced U.S. tariffs, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said in a statement late Monday.
At a cabinet meeting, Chinh confirmed that Vietnam is also pushing for faster delivery of U.S.-made commercial aircraft already ordered by Vietnamese airlines. The move comes amid rising trade tensions following the Trump administration’s recent decision to impose a 46% tariff on Vietnamese exports.
Vietnam, a key manufacturing hub for global firms, recorded a trade surplus exceeding $123 billion with the United States in 2024. The U.S. remains Vietnam’s largest export market.
Chinh stated that the delay request aims to allow time for negotiations, emphasizing Vietnam’s intent to work toward “balanced and sustainable trade” that benefits both nations.
The announcement follows a series of strong criticisms from White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who raised concerns about alleged transshipment of Chinese goods through Vietnam, the dumping of seafood and other products, and ongoing intellectual property violations.
“They engage in intellectual property theft,” Navarro told on Monday. “They have the biggest number of cases aside from China at the Department of Commerce on the dumping.”
Vietnam’s government responded by stating it will examine its monetary policy, exchange rates, non-tariff barriers, and the accuracy of product origin labeling—issues highlighted by U.S. officials.
In a separate statement Tuesday, following a meeting of its tariff task force, Vietnam announced it is also considering revisions to its bilateral trade agreement with the U.S., potentially including new provisions on taxation and intellectual property protection.
The economic fallout from the tariffs has already rattled investor confidence. Vietnam’s benchmark stock index has dropped nearly 14% since the tariff announcement on April 2, including a 6.26% plunge on Tuesday morning to 1,135 points.
Efforts to resolve the escalating trade friction included a phone call last Friday between former President Donald Trump and Vietnamese President To Lam, during which both leaders agreed to negotiate a tariff relief deal. Trump described the call as “very productive.”
Since the U.S. lifted its arms embargo on Vietnam in 2016, American defense exports to the country have mainly included coastguard vessels and training aircraft. However, sources indicated last year that discussions had begun on the potential sale of Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules military transport planes to Hanoi.
The evolving talks underscore Vietnam’s effort to navigate growing scrutiny from Washington while maintaining strong trade ties with its top export destination.
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