US firms urge Washington to lower tariffs on Hanoi: AmCham Vietnam

The move comes amid ongoing negotiations between the two countries, following the U.S. administration’s April 3 announcement of a 46-percent reciprocal tariff on Vietnamese imports as part of its new global tariff policy.

Initially set to take effect on April 9, the tariff implementation was delayed by the U.S. for 90 days to allow time for negotiations.

The large trade deficit the U.S. faces in its trade relations with Vietnam is one of the reasons cited for imposing such a high tariff rate.

It is unclear to whom AmCham Vietnam addressed the letter, but the organization defended the trade deficit, describing it as being driven by a good investment climate, and diversification and reassessment of supply chain security and sourcing operations from China and other countries to Vietnam.

AmCham argued that Vietnam has emerged as a valued partner of the U.S. in the context of diversifying supply chains.

In recent years, Vietnam has also become a destination of choice for manufacturers gradually shifting sourcing away from China.

The chamber warned that higher tariffs would negatively affect American enterprises and customers, while also undermining the broader commercial relationship between the two countries.

It also emphasized that the Southeast Asian nation can help address the trade imbalance by opening its market to more American goods and services.

“It is time for Vietnam to expedite purchases of more American-made products,” AmCham Vietnam commented.

The U.S. remained Vietnam's largest export market, with US$57 billion in exports in the first five months of 2025, up 27.4 percent year on year, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam.

Last week, Vietnamese and U.S. trade negotiators met in Paris, France on a reciprocal trade agreement and agreed to hold the next round of talks in mid-June.

The two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023, 28 years after they established diplomatic relations in July 1995.