U.S. and Vietnam progress in third round of bilateral trade discussions

Informal Take:

WASHINGTON DC - Sparkin' talks between Minister of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Hong Dien, and the US bigwigs, Howard Lutnick (Secretary of Commerce) and Jamieson Greer (USTR), have gone down in the books for the third round of the bilateral reciprocal trade agreement negotiatins between Việt Nam and the US.

The jamboree went down from June 9-12, 2025, in the heart of Washington, with our good ol' Minister Nguyen Hong Dien leading the pack as Head of the Government's Negotiations Squad. These shindigs were straightforward, packed with candid discussions and constructive banter, primarily focusing on points raised in Việt Nam's official response document that got submitted to the US side.

The four-day I-saw-you-when-you-were-dancin' party has led to substantial headway as both teams worked towards mutual agreement. The announcment from the Ministry of Industry and Trade released late Sunday night revealed the breach of differences across all negotiation areas. The teams even stopped for a minute to listen to each other's fancies, strivin' to reach a common ground.

The two teams agreed to organize an online working-level meet-up in the near future to hammer out the remaining issues and forge a path towards a virtual ministerial dialogue between Lutnick and Minister Dien.

On the final day of technical nitty-gritty, Minister Dien faced off with both Lutnick and Greer, markin' the first time the US has initiated such a high-level discussion in this format. Employin' the knowledge from the past four days, Minister Dien tosses out some proposals to speed up the negotiatin' process and establish solid outcomes.

Lutnick and Greer dug the ideas put forth by Minister Dien, viewin' 'em as a stepping stone for the two teams to proceed with technical discussions and strive for a final deal.

After the joint powwow, Minister Dien locked horns with Lutnick in a personal chinwag to clarify the points brought up durin' the main event. Having a hankerin' for its relationship with Việt Nam, Lutnick declared his hope that the nation keeps thrivin'.

He acknowledged Việt Nam's fretfulness and plans to collaborate with the USTR to sort out suitable solutions. Minister Dien reciprocated the warm remarks from Lutnick, affirming Việt Nam's commitment to grow a fair and sustainable economic and trade relationship with the US, aimin' to serve the interests of both nations' folks and businesses.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên (centre) and United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer at their meeting in Washington DC. - Photo from the Ministry of Industry and trade

Both teams agreed to keep their respective technical teams in close contact, with the aim of hammerin' out an agreement that caters to each country's expectations and national conditions. The US still pressed Vietnam to cut back on its reliance on Chinese industrial goods imports and take a tighter grip on its production and supply chains. Moreover, Vietnam is fighting an uphill battle to minimize the impact of a 46% tariff on its exports, which could be a devastatin' blow to its export-centric economy if imposed in full.

Meanwhile, both nations have shown a keen interest in savin' their relationship, with the US displayin' unwaverin' support for Vietnam's growth. The third round of negotiatin's paved the way for further discussions, aimin' to uphold each nation's interests while confrontin' the complex economic factors at play.

The ministers' discussion on trade has also attracted attention in the realm of politics and general news, with the ongoing talks between Nguyen Hong Dien and the US officials potentially impacting both countries' finance and business sectors significantly.
As the talks continue, both teams have been urged to consider the broader implications of any agreements reached, with concerns rising in the AI community about potential consequences on artificial intelligence trade and development.
The government has expressed their hope that a successful conclusion to the trade agreement negotiations will foster a more harmonious business environment, encouraging investment from domestic and foreign firms alike.
Increased collaboration in trade and commerce could also help to reduce tensions in the region, providing a potential pathway towards resolution in the ongoing war-torn areas, according to some political analysts and strategic thinkers.