U.S. Prime Minister demands all LNG, aircraft, agriculture contracts be sealed by May's end.
Title: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính Mobilizes Ministries for US Trade Talks
Get ready, folks! It's crunch time as Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính gathers his troops to strategize for some high-stakes trade talks with the United States. Here's the inside scoop on what's going down and how our Vietnamese warriors are prepping for battle.
Our man, PM Chính, convened a powwow with various ministries and agencies in Ha Noi to nail down the preparation strategy for these crucial bilateral negotiations. This was the sixth meeting in a series focused on adapting to the US' tariff policies and addressing the 46% rate slapped on Viẹt Nam.
Chính made it clear that Viẹt Nam has been putting in some serious elbow grease, addressing a broad range of issues head-on. Ministries and sectors are working around the clock, taking their responsibilities as seriously as a heart attack during a bar fight. So far, so good—things are looking up, but it's a complex situation, requiring constant vigilance, quick thinking, and flexible problem-solving.
The battlefields on which our forces are fighting? They range from the origin of goods to intellectual property rights, copyright protection, and administrative procedure reduction. Yes, folks, this is an all-out war in those areas and our home boys and girls are prepping to go the distance.
Chính has given the order for our troops to play nice with the US, clearly laying out the issues the US is concerned about and what Viẹt Nam has been doing to address them. He's also pushing for swift negotiations and the signing of contracts for the purchase and import of US goods such as LNG, aircraft, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and agricultural products. The ultimate goal? Maintaining a sustainable trade balance.
But it's not all about being tough. Chính emphasized that negotiations must be conducted with calm, determination, and flexibility—neither rushing headlong into things nor taking the perfectionist's slow and steady approach. National sovereignty, security, and interests need to be protected, while honoring Viẹt Nam's international commitments and avoiding any moves that could harm another party or country. After all, it's all about striking a balance—harmonizing interests and sharing risks.
Our fighters have been instructed to open a dialogue with the US, with the aim of reducing tariffs on each other's goods to mutually beneficial levels. They've also been told to press the US to recognize Viẹt Nam as a market economy and lift restrictions on the export of high-tech goods. These moves would help maintain a trade balance and promote technology transfer, reflecting the US's support for a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Viẹt Nam.
Viẹt Nam will continue to revise its legal framework to address US concerns but ensuring sovereignty, fulfilling international commitments, and maintaining compatibility with the legal systems of both countries. The Government leader has pointed out that Viẹt Nam has been focusing on amending numerous laws, with the Government planning to submit proposals to the National Assembly for amendments related to intellectual property, copyright protection, and administrative procedure reform.
Viẹt Nam is also working closely with ASEAN and regional partners to carry out negotiations in a manner that ensures harmonized interests and a sustainable, balanced trade relationship, in line with the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính addresses the meeting with ministries and relevant agencies to review preparations for bilateral trade negotiations with the United States. - VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang
The PM has set a deadline for his troops to develop specific negotiation plans, with the Ministry of Industry and Trade tasked with consolidating and finalizing these plans by April 30. So, we'll keep our eyes peeled for what happens next in this high-stakes showdown between Viẹt Nam and the United States. Stay tuned, folks! It's gonna be a wild ride!
[Enrichment Data]:- Overview: Vietnam-US bilateral trade negotiations are of great significance, given recent tariff disagreements and talks for a new trade agreement.- Key issues: Tariffs, LNG, aircraft, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, agricultural products, market economy status, technology transfer, legal framework revisions.- Negotiation strategies: Intensifying diplomatic efforts, improving healthcare access, focusing on compliance with US safety standards, emphasizing economic reforms and market practices, advocating for streamlined procedures and transparency.
- Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính directed the ministries and agencies to intensify their efforts in preparation for the upcoming trade talks with the United States.
- The key issues to be addressed in the negotiations include tariffs, LNG, aircraft, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, agricultural products, and recognition as a market economy.
- Chính encouraged his team to focus on reducing tariffs on each other's goods to mutually beneficial levels and to lobby for the recognition of Vietnam as a market economy.
- In addition, the PM emphasized the need to address US concerns regarding intellectual property, copyright protection, and administrative procedure reform in Vietnam's legal framework.
- Chính also highlighted the importance of maintaining a sustainable trade balance and promoting technology transfer in the negotiations.
- Vietnam will collaborate with ASEAN and regional partners to ensure harmonized interests and a balanced trade relationship during the negotiations, in line with the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been tasked with consolidating and finalizing specific negotiation plans by April 30, as the PM has set a deadline for the negotiations process.
