The government has asked the United States to temporarily postpone tariffs in order to negotiate.

On the afternoon of April 4th, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc, along with leaders from various ministries and agencies, met with associations, businesses, and diplomatic missions to discuss solutions for addressing the tariff issue with the United States.

At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc stated that Vietnamese and US goods do not compete with each other but complement each other. In recent times, Vietnam has proactively reviewed and reduced many taxes, improved the investment environment, and created favorable conditions for businesses to operate, thereby promoting efficient and sustainable production and business.

In response to the US imposing retaliatory tariffs on many countries, including Vietnam, the Deputy Prime Minister expressed his desire to hear the opinions and suggestions of businesses, associations, and diplomats so that Vietnam can propose appropriate solutions and engage in effective discussions with the US side in a win-win spirit, creating the most favorable conditions for businesses to produce and trade.

At the meeting, representatives from the Vietnam Wood and Forest Products Association; the Vietnam Seafood Processing and Export Association; the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association; the Vietnam Electronics Business Association; the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association; the Vietnam Steel Association; the Vietnam Textile and Garment Association; the Vietnam Plastics Association; Samsung Vietnam; SOVICO Group, etc., all emphasized that the US market is an important and leading market; and expressed concern about the US imposition of tariffs on goods from Vietnam.

Mr. Dinh Viet Phuong, General Director of Vietjet (SOVICO Group), stated that in 2025, the company will receive 10 Boeing aircraft worth $1.8 billion; the total value of contracts from the US this year is approximately $2.2 billion… Emphasizing that Vietjet and SOVICO's cooperation with the US is strategic and long-lasting, the Vietjet representative thanked the Government for its significant attention and support to the company in its cooperation with the US market over the past period, and also presented suggestions for the upcoming negotiations to achieve positive results.

Opinions suggest that Vietnam's exports of agricultural, forestry, aquatic products, and footwear to the United States not only meet increasingly high standards and possess a comparative advantage, but also support the US economy and benefit American consumers. Exporting goods from Vietnam to the US is mutually beneficial; businesses and associations affirm their readiness to increase imports of products from the US; they will provide evidence to prove origin and capacity to support negotiations and "must maintain this market by all means."

Providing practical advice to the Vietnamese government for negotiations with the US side, especially regarding product flows, industries, and the timing of tariff imposition; and proposing measures to reduce the trade deficit between the two countries… representatives of associations and businesses pledged to continue actively cooperating with the Vietnamese government to address future challenges.

At the meeting, representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and the US-ASEAN Business Council praised Vietnam's timely and balanced response to the US imposition of tariffs.

Representatives from associations and councils also mentioned Vietnam's advantages and consulted on key areas to focus on in order to promote trade between the two countries; as well as issues that need to be discussed, negotiated, and addressed to overcome barriers and challenges, so that appropriate and effective measures can be taken to address the issues raised by the United States, enabling both economies to develop together.

Appreciating the Vietnamese Government's commitment to supporting businesses in the past, representatives from various associations and industries proposed many specific and practical contents, both short-term and long-term, for the Vietnamese Government to negotiate with the US Government. They expressed confidence that with the efforts, goodwill, and active involvement of the Vietnamese Government, the negotiations will yield positive results, further contributing to promoting economic and trade relations between the two countries in the future.

At the meeting, leaders from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the State Bank of Vietnam, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, etc., affirmed that Vietnam will continue dialogue and review to consider and remove technical barriers and adjust tariffs on various product groups and industries; they expressed their desire to import scientific and technological products, high-tech goods, and products in which the United States has strengths to promote bilateral trade cooperation; and to manage exchange rates, interest rates, and credit appropriately to serve manufacturing, business, and import-export enterprises.

Representatives from various ministries and agencies requested that the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and the US-ASEAN Business Council petition the administration of President Donald Trump to strengthen dialogue and temporarily postpone the imposition of new tariffs (for about 2-3 months) while both sides conduct negotiations and find common ground.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc thanked the delegates, representatives of associations, businesses, and diplomatic agencies for their contributions; emphasizing that these were valuable suggestions that the Vietnamese Government would appreciate and incorporate into future negotiations with the United States.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that Vietnam has always been proactive, open-minded, and strongly coordinated with the US side to negotiate tariffs fairly; combat the issue of transshipment of goods, and promote bilateral trade in a mutually beneficial way.

For example, the Vietnamese government recently issued Decree No. 73/2025/ND-CP, which reduced many tariff lines on goods imported from the United States into Vietnam.

In addition, Vietnam has been promoting contracts to purchase goods from the US (aircraft, LNG, etc.); creating favorable conditions for US businesses to invest, produce, and operate in Vietnam.

In the coming period, the Vietnamese government will continue to promote measures to increase the purchase of raw materials and equipment from the United States.

Affirming the goodwill to negotiate and find common ground soon, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc stated: The Vietnamese Government proposes that the US side consider temporarily suspending the imposition of tariffs for 1-3 months to allow for negotiations, aiming to ensure fairness in taxation.

Vietnam will also implement solutions to increase imports of goods originating from the United States; and wishes to strengthen cooperation with the United States in the fields of science and technology development, digital transformation, etc.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc also urged Vietnamese businesses exporting to the US market to maintain current prices while awaiting the outcome of negotiations; and to proactively implement appropriate and effective solutions to "secure" the US market.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and the US-ASEAN Business Council to convey a message of goodwill from the Vietnamese Government and business community to the administration of President Donald Trump so that the negotiations would be effective and yield positive results, contributing to the promotion of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.