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What is Vietnam doing to prepare for US tariffs

The looming tariffs by U.S. president Donald Trump could affect virtually all the goods exported to Vietnam's top market. These exports were worth over $142 billion in 2017, or around 30% of Southeast Asia's GDP.

Vietnam was a beneficiary of the trade war Trump waged against China during his first term. However, Vietnamese officials and companies abroad are unsure how they will do under the new tariffs Trump has announced will go into effect on Wednesday. Vietnam, with a surplus of $123.5 billion and meeting several criteria, has the biggest trade surplus with the U.S.

Here are some measures that Vietnamese officials have suggested, or are considering, to avoid Trump's tariffs.

DUTIES AND NON-TARIFF BARRIERS

Vietnam charges a higher average tariff and a value-added tax than the U.S. Some economists estimate that Vietnam's bilateral tariff rates are lower.

Washington has used average tariffs as a benchmark for determining possible reciprocal duties, although it is unclear which rates Trump is considering.

Vietnam announced this month that it would lower non-tariff barriers to imports including cars and liquefied gas.

In its 2024 report, the Office of the United States Trade Representative listed a number of non-tariff barriers that Vietnam has imposed, such as import bans, registration requirements complex, and technical and sanitation barriers.

DEFENCE, StarLINK

Officials with knowledge of this matter claim that Hanoi is in advanced negotiations with Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules planes for military transports.

This month, the Vietnamese government made a decision allowing Trump ally Elon Musk to test its Starlink satellite Internet service in the country. SpaceX retained full control over its subsidiary and was able to circumvent strict foreign ownership limits.

PLANES

VietJet, the Vietnamese budget airline, has agreed to purchase 200 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in a multibillion dollar deal that was first signed in 2016, and then revised later.

The company has not received any planes, despite stating that it was expecting to receive its first jets in the last year. The company has expressed an interest in expanding this deal, but without revealing how.

Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of Vietnam Airlines, has signed an agreement to purchase up to 50 Boeing 737 Max jets.

Imports of Energy

Vietnamese officials have discussed several times with their counterparts in the United States possible purchases of U.S. LNG for Vietnam's fledgling industry. In March, they signed non-binding agreements for the importation of energy equipment and fuel.

The country is seeking suppliers of nuclear technology as it plans to relaunch its program for nuclear power.

Agriculture Goods

The trade minister said that Vietnam is willing to import more U.S. agricultural products. The trade minister has said that a rise in agricultural imports would not reduce the bilateral imbalance significantly, as the nation only imported $3.4 billion worth of U.S. agriculture products last year.

TRANSHIPMENT OF STEEL

Vietnam has been suspected for a long time of being a hub of transhipment of Chinese goods into the U.S. due to the large volumes of intermediate products it imports. It has been sanctioned for some products, such as solar panel.

Vietnam decided in February to impose temporary antidumping duties on Chinese Steel Products. In March, during a trip to Washington, the Trade Minister pledged to fight fraudulent transshipment schemes.

DEPORTATIONS

A U.S. lawyer confirmed that Vietnam was issuing travel documents to Vietnamese nationals who were detained in the U.S., for their return. Hanoi agreed to process more requests more quickly, after U.S. tariffs and visa sanctions. It has been generally reluctant to allow deportations out of the U.S.

MONETARY POLICY

Trump's first term as President ended with the Treasury Department declaring Vietnam to be a currency manipulator.

Now, the country is on the U.S. watchlist for possible manipulation. The central bank of Vietnam has allowed the Vietnamese Dong to fall against the Dollar in recent months. According to Adam Samdin, Oxford Economics, this may be a sign that the country is willing to accept a weaker currency.

The central bank said that it would continue to monitor Trump's policies and make adjustments.

GOLF DIPLOMATICS

In October, the local partner of The Trump Organization announced that it had agreed to build a $1.5 billion golf course in Vietnam. A spokesman for the consortium said that it plans to invest up to $4 billion in projects across Vietnam.

(source: Reuters)