PM wants less US duties on Vietnam exports

Receiving U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Hanoi Saturday, Chinh said that Vietnam considers the U.S. one of its most important partners.

He affirmed that the two countries need to bolster efforts for harmonious and sustainable trade, according to a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chinh asked the U.S. to restrict the imposition of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties – as well as other unnecessary measures – on Vietnamese exports, especially agricultural and wood products.

Vietnam continues to support bilateral cooperation in important fields, such as trade, investment, science, technology, education, training, security, and defense, as well as new fields like digital economy and climate change response.

Chinh also asked the U.S. to provide the opportunity for 2.2 million Vietnamese in the U.S. to integrate and contribute to the development of both countries’ relations.

The prime minister asked the U.S. to continue cooperation in the frameworks of the ASEAN-U.S. comprehensive strategic partnership and the Mekong-U.S. partnership, while ensuring security, safety, and maritime and air freedom in the South China Sea.

He also noted the two countries’ cooperation in climate change response and peacekeeping activities by the U.N.

In response, Blinken said the U.S. highly values its relations with Vietnam on the basis of respecting independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institutions. He said both countries still have room for cooperation and need to bolster their relations.

On Thursday, foreign minister Bui Thanh Son also had a talk with Blinken and recounted the positive achievements of Vietnam and the U.S.’s comprehensive partnership over the last 10 years.

The achievements include bilateral trade, cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic and projects to resolve wartime consequences.

Blinken said he highly regards Vietnam’s development, role and position in the region, and reaffirmed the U.S.’s commitment to help Vietnam resolve wartime consequences and to bolster cooperation between the two countries in important fields.

Blinken landed in Hanoi Friday night to begin his three-day visit to Vietnam per an invitation by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. He also broke ground on the new U.S. embassy compound in Hanoi’s Cau Giay District Saturday morning.

This is Blinken’s first visit to Vietnam as a Secretary of State. He visited Vietnam in 2015 and 2016 as the Deputy Secretary of State under the Obama administration.

Vietnam and the U.S. upgraded their relationship to comprehensive partnership in 2013.

The two countries’ bilateral trade turnover reached over $123.86 billion in 2022, an 11% increase from 2021. The U.S. is also the largest export market and the second-largest commercial partner for Vietnam.

Direct foreign investment from the U.S. to Vietnam has reached over $11 billion in total, accounting for over 1,200 projects, placing it at 11th place among all countries and territories that invest directly into Vietnam. There are around 30,000 Vietnamese students studying in the U.S., contributing $1 billion to the country’s economy.