Murray Hunter
How Vietnam is engaging the United States on Trump’s tariffs
Apr 04, 2025
While Malaysians are still getting over Eid holidays and complaining about the ‘unfairness’ of Trumps retaliatory tariffs on Malaysia, other countries are moving very quickly.
Vietnam is already on the way to Washington to negotiate. Rather than sit down and analyse the potential damage on the economy from Trump’s new tariffs, the Vietnamese are presenting counter proposals to Washington.
Tuổi Trẻ reported that Deputy Prime Minister (and former Minister of Finance) Hồ Đức Phớc will visit the U.S. from April 6-14 to try and renegotiate a deal. Executives from Vietnam Airlines and VietJet will also reportedly visit New York to meet with Boeing.
Deputy Prime Minister (and former Minister of Finance) Hồ Đức Phớc is already on his way to Washington.
As noted previously, officials approved Starlink with startling speed, pledged to expedite approval of the planned US$1.5 billion Trump Organization resort/golf course project in Hưng Yên Province (with more similar projects in the pipeline), planned to cut tariffs on several U.S. import categories, and more.
I’ll quote a couple of initial reactions from sharp Vietnam-watchers on LinkedIn.
Previous podcast guest Nguyễn Khắc Giang wrote:
“For Vietnam, this is especially tough. The claimed tariff is 90%, ‘discounted’ to 46%. It’s punitive and completely detached from how bilateral trade actually works. And while this might just be a negotiation tactic, it’s so far off the mark that there’s barely a common ground to stand on. Vice PM Ho Duc Phoc will visit the U.S. next week, but dialing this down will be hard.
Vietnam’s export-led economy stands to suffer. And the damage won’t stop at the border. This kind of heavy-handed approach could undo years of careful work rebuilding U.S.-Vietnam trust after decades of war. That trust can’t be rebuilt easily once it’s shaken.”
And Rich McClellan, the Tony Blair Institute’s country director, wrote more optimistically:
“If history is any guide, we should expect frantic behind-the-scenes diplomacy, a flood of delegation visits to Washington, and a flurry of exemptions, carve-outs, and last-minute reprieves. I’d wager that most of these tariffs won’t be anywhere close to these levels a month from now—and were never truly meant to be.
The truth is that nations in the region have long known about the coming tariffs from the United States. What is surprising is how unprepared many countries actually are. Malaysia has left the position of ambassador to the United States vacant, even though a crisis was on the horizon.
Malaysia is in a much more complex position than Vietnam. Malaysia has a number of non-tariff barriers and monopolies that are supposedly supporting Bumiputera business. These are blocking US companies gaining fair market access.
Trump has started a new game, its now up to Malaysia to join it and deal in very quickly.
I’ll quote a couple of initial reactions from sharp Vietnam-watchers on LinkedIn.
Previous podcast guest Nguyễn Khắc Giang wrote:
“For Vietnam, this is especially tough. The claimed tariff is 90%, ‘discounted’ to 46%. It’s punitive and completely detached from how bilateral trade actually works. And while this might just be a negotiation tactic, it’s so far off the mark that there’s barely a common ground to stand on. Vice PM Ho Duc Phoc will visit the U.S. next week, but dialing this down will be hard.
Vietnam’s export-led economy stands to suffer. And the damage won’t stop at the border. This kind of heavy-handed approach could undo years of careful work rebuilding U.S.-Vietnam trust after decades of war. That trust can’t be rebuilt easily once it’s shaken.”
And Rich McClellan, the Tony Blair Institute’s country director, wrote more optimistically:
“If history is any guide, we should expect frantic behind-the-scenes diplomacy, a flood of delegation visits to Washington, and a flurry of exemptions, carve-outs, and last-minute reprieves. I’d wager that most of these tariffs won’t be anywhere close to these levels a month from now—and were never truly meant to be.
The truth is that nations in the region have long known about the coming tariffs from the United States. What is surprising is how unprepared many countries actually are. Malaysia has left the position of ambassador to the United States vacant, even though a crisis was on the horizon.
Malaysia is in a much more complex position than Vietnam. Malaysia has a number of non-tariff barriers and monopolies that are supposedly supporting Bumiputera business. These are blocking US companies gaining fair market access.
Trump has started a new game, its now up to Malaysia to join it and deal in very quickly.
Vietnam will surrender. With such a huge deficit they will definitely lose a trade war. Uncle Ho will turn in his grave.
ReplyDelete“Revenge is Sweet when Served Cold.”
Then will come Kampuchea. Kampucheans must never forget BullyMao sapoted PolPot, gave his blessing to the 1970s Killing Fields. Fortunately he died soon after and Vietnam has no choice but to come in and get rid of the PolPotters because they were ethnically cleansing local Vietnamese. 5000yo Bullyland tried to help by attacking North Vietnam but it was too late. So why nobody complain that 5000yo Bullyland sapoted genocide? Nearly half of Kampucheans were slaughtered, 3 million. If Gaza that translates to a million civilians.
Wow…
DeleteYr know-nothing & western media induced Cambodia genocidal history.
More so equalling Gazan ethnic cleansing with that Cambodia incident!
U want to whitewash yr zionist state's are then make very sure u can backup ur fart. Not just using western media propagandas!
The Killing Fields of Kampuchea was one of the greatest crimes perpetrated in human history ..... never forget...carried out by Communists
DeleteMfer, not all communists r genocidal Pol Pot. Just like not all Jew r ethnic cleansing zionist, German Jew terminator Hitler!
DeleteThe current Kampuchean PM Hun Manet, is the son of Hun Sen, the longest serving PM and former General in the Khmer Rouge. Khmer Rouge was modeled after the utopian 5000yo Bullyland and Soviet agrarian society that resulted in the murder of millions. But today Kampucheans sudah lupa, and willingly accept Bullyland yuan, which has the picture of BullyMao on it. Today Kampuchea and Laos are the spies within ASEAN. Myanmar too. Very easy to buy then over, with Belt-You-Down-My-Road money/debt.
ReplyDeleteWakakakaka…
DeleteLook at it this way, any other country willing to invest in these countries & helping develop the infrastructures vital to the advancement of these nations?
Whatsoever fart u interpreted Belt-You-Down-My-Road money/debt, they r necessary components of nationhood developments that only China willingly & can do!
History has mentioned many a time, that national tyranny & cruelties are periodic & contributed by egoistic indivudual.
U can frault that person but never the offsprings & ideologies.
But how could a know-nothing troll with a single view of DemoNcratic sight understand the scheme of things.