Minister Nguyen Hong Dien meets US Trade Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith
On 13 November in Washington, DC, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien met with Representative Adrian Smith (Nebraska, Republican Party), Chairman of the Trade Subcommittee of US Congress, who also serves as a key voice for US agricultural sector.
During the meeting, the Minister discussed the potential, prospects, and outcomes of cooperation between Vietnam and US in general, and with the state of Nebraska in particular. He noted that since the two countries launched negotiations on reciprocal trade tariffs earlier this year, Vietnam has committed to increasing its imports of US products.
Vietnamese businesses are particularly interested in sourcing high-quality corn from US localities for seed production and ethanol processing, an important component of Vietnam’s sustainable energy strategy. Beef products from Nebraska are also well-received by Vietnamese consumers.
The Minister expressed hope for the establishment of practical cooperation mechanisms with Nebraska in areas of mutual interest, contributing to strengthened bilateral economic and trade relations.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien holds talks with Representative Adrian Smith (Nebraska, Republican Party).
Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has increased its imports of US cotton by 126%, seafood by 8%, and corn and soybeans by 35%. Vietnam has also officially signed multiple aircraft purchase contracts with US.
Acknowledging the current trade imbalance, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized that removing Vietnam from US D1 and D3 lists groups of countries restricted from accessing US high-tech products would form an important basis for moving toward a more balanced trade relationship.
He expressed hope that Representative Adrian Smith, with his strong influence within the Republican Party and deep understanding of trade and agricultural issues, would support Vietnam in the ongoing negotiations and act as a bridge to promote cooperation between Vietnam and US, especially in areas where Nebraska excels, such as agriculture, aviation, and biotechnology.
Minister Nguyen Hong Dien hopes to establish practical cooperation mechanisms with the state of Nebraska, US.
The Minister also addressed several issues related to the ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations and urged Representative Smith, given his standing in US political circles, to help expedite the process toward a positive conclusion.
Representative Adrian Smith thanked the Minister for his visit and message, expressing confidence that, with recent positive developments, both countries are well positioned to further advance trade cooperation and deepen their bilateral relationship.
The Chairman of US Trade Subcommittee emphasized his strong hope that the two countries will soon complete negotiations on the trade agreement.
The Chairman of the Trade Subcommittee praised Vietnam’s efforts to rebalance trade, particularly its increased corn imports for biofuel production. He noted that he had previously visited Vietnam’s agricultural and seafood facilities and had seen firsthand the potential for importing US raw materials for Vietnam’s agricultural production.
“I strongly hope the two countries will finalize the Vietnam - US reciprocal trade agreement soon, and that the agreement will create positive momentum for bilateral economic and trade cooperation”, he emphasized.
