Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son receives US Ambassador to Vietnam

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, Head of the Working Group on Strengthening Cooperation and Proactively Adapting to Adjustments to US Economic and Trade Policies, received US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper - Photo: VGP/Hai Minh

At the meeting, sharing the important significance of the phone call between General Secretary To Lam and President Donald Trump on April 4, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son reaffirmed the General Secretary's major messages, according to which Vietnam is ready to negotiate to reduce import tax to 0% for US goods, increase purchases of US goods that are strong and Vietnam has demand, and at the same time create more favorable conditions for US businesses to do business and invest in Vietnam; at the same time, he asked President Donald Trump to postpone the deadline for imposing reciprocal tax on Vietnamese goods during the tariff negotiations between the two countries.

The Deputy Prime Minister informed Ambassador Marc E. Knapper that General Secretary To Lam had sent Special Envoy, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc to the United States to continue to specify these contents, and requested the US side to prioritize arranging meetings between the Deputy Prime Minister and the Delegation with US partners, in order to soon reach an agreement, for the benefit of the people and businesses of the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son said that Vietnam shares the US's concern in balancing the trade balance, but regrets the US's decision to impose very high reciprocal tariffs on Vietnamese exports, affecting businesses of both countries and especially affecting millions of Vietnamese people.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the decision to impose reciprocal taxes is not consistent with the reality of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and does not reflect the spirit of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, negatively affecting the developing economic and trade relations between the two countries.

On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son proposed that the two sides coordinate to comprehensively implement cooperation in all areas of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries; emphasizing that cooperation in overcoming the consequences of war is a very important foundation in the bilateral relationship. The Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated Ambassador Knapper's recent working trip to Quang Tri province with the leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visiting the site of bomb and mine clearance and searching for the remains of US soldiers missing in action during the Vietnam War.

The Deputy Prime Minister asked US Ambassador Marc E. Knapper to continue supporting and urging the US to continue maintaining and expanding the implementation of humanitarian assistance projects and overcoming the consequences of war in Vietnam, especially in 2025 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Sharing the assessment and opinions of Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, US Ambassador Marc Knapper affirmed that Vietnam is a partner of strategic importance to the United States. Ambassador Knapper affirmed that the leaders of the Party, Government, ministries and sectors of Vietnam have taken prompt and positive actions to address the concerns of the US side.

Ambassador Knapper particularly appreciated the high-level phone call on April 4 between General Secretary To Lam and President Donald Trump, which was President Trump's first phone call with a foreign leader after the announcement of the tariffs, demonstrating the two leaders' respect and concern for the relationship between the two countries.

Ambassador Knapper also appreciated the fact that the two sides have had active and specific exchanges and cooperation over the past months, and contributed to the substantive and effective exchange between the two leaders; affirmed that they will coordinate to best prepare for the working trip of Special Envoy of General Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc.

Ambassador Knapper thanked Vietnam for its positive approach and understanding of the concerns of the United States, and said that the upcoming exchanges are an opportunity for both sides to discuss and propose solutions to put trade relations on a healthy and mutually beneficial development trajectory.

Ambassador Knapper emphasized that 2025 is an important year in bilateral relations as the two sides celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in Vietnam. The US Embassy in Hanoi will work with Vietnamese agencies to implement an effective agenda to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, in which the Ambassador will focus on promoting mutual visits at all levels, especially high-level, as well as other areas of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Hai Minh

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/pho-thu-tuong-bui-thanh-son-tiep-dai-su-hoa-ky-tai-viet-nam-102250406160909322.htm