Vietnam to buy American defence and security products
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Vietnam will also seek faster deliveries of commercial planes ordered from the US.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
HANOI - Vietnam will buy more American goods, including defence and security products, and has asked for a 45-day delay in the imposition of US tariffs, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said in a statement issued late on April 7.
Vietnam will also seek faster deliveries of commercial planes that Vietnamese airlines have ordered from the US, Mr Chinh said at a Cabinet meeting late on April 7.
The South-east Asian country, a major regional manufacturing base for many Western companies, in 2024 had a trade surplus of more than US$123 billion (S$164 billion) with the US, its largest export market.
Mr Chinh said Vietnam had asked the US to delay the 46 per cent tariff rate
Vietnam was seeking to “negotiate with the US side for balanced and sustainable trade, in line with the interests of the two sides”, the statement said.
On April 4, Mr Trump and Vietnam’s leader To Lam agreed to discuss a deal to remove tariffs, both leaders said after a phone call that Mr Trump said was “very productive”
In the statement on April 7, Mr Chinh said Vietnam would review issues such as its monetary policy, exchange rate, non-tariff barriers and ensuring the correct origin of goods.
Since an arms embargo was lifted in 2016, US defence exports to Vietnam have been limited largely to coast guard ships and trainer aircraft. Sources said in 2024 there were talks on sales of Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules military transport planes to Hanoi. REUTERS
