HANOI, April 4 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump and Vietnam’s leader To Lam agreed on Friday to discuss a deal to remove tariffs, both leaders said after a phone call that Trump said was “very productive”, as Hanoi escalated its campaign to dodge duties of 46%.
Days before Trump’s announcement on reciprocal tariffs that hit Vietnam hard, the country had already cut several duties as part of a series of concessions to the U.S., which also included pledges to buy more American goods such as planes and agriculture products.
“Just had a very productive call with To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who told me that Vietnam wants to cut their Tariffs down to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the U.S.”, Trump wrote on his Truth social platform.
“I thanked him on behalf of our Country, and said I look forward to a meeting in the near future,” Trump added.
Lam confirmed the call and the pledge to cut tariffs on U.S. goods. “At the same time (Lam) proposed that the U.S. apply similar tax rates to goods imported from Vietnam,” read a report on Vietnam’s government portal published shortly after Trump’s post.
The two leaders agreed they will continue talking “to soon sign a bilateral agreement” on tariffs, the Vietnamese government said, adding Trump accepted an invitation to visit Vietnam soon.
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