American congressmen highlight Vietnam as US’s increasingly important partner

The congressmen made these statements during a press meeting held in Hanoi on Tuesday, as part of their working visit to Vietnam.

The delegation was led by John Moolenaar, a Republican Representative from Michigan and a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.

Moolenaar was joined by Democratic Representatives Seth Moulton from Massachusetts and Greg Stanton from Arizona at the media meeting, which took place one day before the delegation met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and other high-ranking Vietnamese officials.

During the press meeting, all three lawmakers affirmed the U.S.'s appreciation for and desire to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, established in September 2023.

All members of the delegation, both Republican and Democratic, spread a message of goodwill, emphasizing the importance of friendship and a sincere desire to work together for the future of both nations, Moulton said.

When asked whether tensions between the U.S. and a third country could lead to pressure on Vietnam to take sides, Representative Moolenaar affirmed that Washington’s goal is to build friendships and believes that stable, harmonious, and mutually respectful relations between neighboring countries are reasonable and beneficial.

Regarding the U.S.'s technology export restrictions applied to Vietnam, Moolenaar did not provide a direct answer but stated that the U.S. is seeking strong and trustworthy partners to share technology, innovate together, and build stable supply chains.

He underscored that a key priority is ensuring that technologies are used for civilian purposes and that U.S. adversaries cannot access them.

The lawmaker added that the U.S. wants to cooperate with nations that share the same vision of using these technologies for peaceful purposes and to help promote economic growth.

Concerning the ongoing trade and tariff negotiations between Vietnam and the U.S., and the prospect of the U.S. removing high tariffs on Vietnam, Moolenaar expressed appreciation for Vietnam's active engagement in trade discussions with the U.S.

He conveyed his belief and optimism that these negotiations will yield favorable results for both countries.

The negotiations follow the U.S.'s announcement on April 3 of a 46-percent reciprocal tariff on Vietnamese imports. Initially set to take effect on April 9, the tariff implementation was delayed by the U.S. for 90 days to allow time for talks.

Regarding this matter, Stanton acknowledged that within each political party, there are factions that favor high tariffs and others that support low tariffs.

However, all the three congressmen expressed their advocacy for applying lower tariffs for Vietnam.

Stanton noted that he hails from Arizona, home to major projects by Intel and Amkor, both of which have established significant investments in Vietnam's semiconductor and advanced equipment manufacturing sectors.

While acknowledging that some issues remain between the two nations, these lawmakers believe that both sides can cooperate more effectively and develop their economies together in a low-tariff environment.

Stanton expressed support for efforts aimed at the House of Representatives conducting a vote to remove the reciprocal tariffs currently imposed by the Trump administration on Vietnam.

However, he noted that this is a complex step that has yet to occur due to various objective reasons.