US and Vietnamese businesses have asked the Trump administration to delay its planned 46 per cent tariff on Vietnamese goods, saying the levy will hurt them and bilateral commercial relations.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the American Chamber of Commerce in Hanoi expressed concern to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a letter dated Saturday, saying the tariff, to take effect on Wednesday, was “shockingly high”.
“Lower tariffs for products coming into Vietnam, and for products reaching the American consumer is what will help US companies, the economy, and consumers,” the organisations said in a statement.
“Higher tariffs will not.”
The Southeast Asian country, a major regional manufacturing base for many Western companies, posted a trade surplus of more than $US123 billion ($A204 billion) with the US – its largest export destination – in 2024.
President Donald Trump and Vietnamese leader To Lam agreed on Friday to discuss a deal to remove tariffs, both said after a phone call Trump called “very productive”.
Even before Trump’s Wednesday announcement of sweeping global tariffs, Vietnam cut several duties as part of a series of concessions to the US, including pledges to buy more American goods such as planes and agriculture products.
“A fast and fair agreement would add certainty for businesses and would help to rectify the trade imbalance between the two countries in a manner that benefits both countries,” the organisations said in the letter.
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