Vietnam expects further progress in 6th round of reciprocal tariff talks with US

Speaking at the ministry’s regular press briefing in Hanoi, Tan said Vietnam’s negotiating team has worked closely with relevant ministries and agencies to prepare a comprehensive set of proposals for the talks.

These have been reported to competent authorities and shared with the U.S. side, including detailed parameters and product lists aimed at facilitating greater market access for U.S. goods.

The Vietnamese negotiating team, led by Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung, will travel to the U.S. on Friday for talks expected to last about a week, Tan was quoted as saying by Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper.

“We hope the sixth round of negotiations will continue to yield positive results,” he said, adding that Vietnam is approaching the talks with an emphasis on tangible outcomes and consensus building with the U.S. side.

While acknowledging the trade deficit, he stressed that it does not stem from direct competition between the two economies but rather from differences in production structures and roles within global supply chains.

U.S. exports, he noted, largely consist of high-quality products, while Vietnamese exports have their own distinct characteristics.

Tan added that the U.S. side has put forward stringent requirements that pose challenges for Vietnam, but said the negotiating team remains committed to patient and constructive engagement.

Vietnam will continue to encourage U.S. companies to expand investment, production and business operations in the country, while creating favorable conditions for U.S. goods to access the Vietnamese market as part of efforts to gradually narrow the trade gap.

He also urged Vietnamese enterprises to maintain stable production and further diversify export markets, particularly by making more effective use of existing free trade agreements.

Vietnam, he added, will continue negotiations with multiple partners, support domestic manufacturers in deeper integration into global supply chains, and pursue market diversification to enhance resilience and sustainability.

The ministry previously reported that the fifth round of in-person negotiations was held in Washington, D.C. from November 12 to 14, 2025.

During the talks, both sides made notable progress in areas including services, digital trade, agriculture, technical barriers to trade, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures, while narrowing gaps on remaining issues, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The U.S. side praised Vietnam’s goodwill, efforts, and flexible approach, particularly the outcomes of a direct meeting between then Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer ahead of the formal technical sessions.

Building on Vietnam’s proposals, the U.S. side offered initial encouraging feedback and said it would consider addressing remaining concerns based on the overall negotiation results.

Vietnam and the U.S. launched their first round of reciprocal tariff negotiations in late April 2025 after the U.S. administration announced a 46-percent reciprocal tariff on Vietnamese imports earlier that month as part of its new global tariff policy.

The measure was later suspended for 90 days to allow for dialogue.

On August 1, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order revising reciprocal tariff rates for 69 countries and territories listed in Annex I, including Vietnam, cutting the tariff on Vietnamese imports from 46 percent to 20 percent.