[Source / Observer Network, Zhang Jingjuan] At the beginning of April, US President Trump swung the "tariff stick" to the whole world, causing a huge market turmoil and then announced a 90-day grace period in an attempt to force various countries to make concessions and reach a trade agreement with the United States.

On June 3, Reuters cited sources as reporting that Vietnam, which was actively negotiating, had received a "long list of tough" demands from the United States, not forgetting to mention China.

According to reports, the United States may force Vietnam to reduce its industrial import dependence on China. A source familiar with the talks said that Washington hopes Vietnamese factories will reduce the use of materials and components from China, and requests that Vietnam exercise more careful control over its production and supply chains. The source did not detail whether the U.S. requirements included quantitative targets.

Four people familiar with the matter said that this list is part of the "annex" of the framework text prepared by U.S. negotiators.

From May 19 to May 22, the second round of bilateral trade negotiations between the United States and Vietnam took place in Washington. According to one person who directly accessed the document, the above list was sent by the United States to Vietnam after this negotiation concluded.

The sources said that the U.S. demands on Vietnam were "tough" and "difficult." It remains unclear how Vietnam will respond to these demands.

A source familiar with the matter said that if the U.S. requirement for an effective reduction in Vietnam's industrial imports from China is met, it will pose a serious challenge to the economy of this Southeast Asian country.

The report pointed out that Vietnam's manufacturing production includes consumer goods such as Apple devices and Nike shoes and is closely integrated with China's much larger supply chain.

This move by the United States may also make Vietnam's long-standing policy of maintaining good relations with China more complicated, as Chinese enterprises are Vietnam's main foreign investors.

Since the outbreak of the U.S.-China trade war in 2018, Vietnam's exports to the United States have nearly tripled. At that time, the Trump administration imposed broad tariffs on Chinese goods, forcing some manufacturers to relocate their production southward. Meanwhile, Vietnam also significantly expanded its imports from China.

Previously reported by The New York Times, Vietnam was a major beneficiary of the tariffs imposed by Trump during his first term as president. Vietnam's trade surplus with the United States increased from $3.83 billion in 2017 to $12.35 billion in 2024.

On February 18, 2025, Hanoi, Vietnam, a man loads rice bags onto a motorcycle. In 2024, Vietnam exported over 9 million tons of rice. IC Photo.

In April this year, Trump announced the so-called "reciprocal tariff," with a rate of 46% on Vietnam.

At the start of this round of tariff war, Vietnam's import value from China and export value to the United States both set new highs since the pandemic in April this year.

Currently, Vietnam is striving to reach an agreement with the Trump administration before the deadline for the tariff suspension (July 9) to avoid the 46% tariff severely impacting Vietnam's exports to the United States. Reports indicate that these exports account for 30% of Vietnam's annual GDP.

The report stated that Vietnamese authorities repeatedly expressed willingness to reduce non-tariff barriers and import more American goods according to Trump's request. In recent weeks, Vietnamese officials reiterated plans to purchase American aircraft and signed or committed to several non-binding agreements, including those for purchasing American agricultural products and energy. However, a source said this might not be enough because U.S. negotiators are seeking real contracts.

On Monday (June 2), Reuters cited a draft letter to negotiation partners stating that the Trump administration wanted countries to present their best proposals for trade negotiations by the 4th. It remains unclear which countries will receive this letter, but it targets countries actively negotiating with the U.S., such as Vietnam, the EU, Japan, and India.

The sources said it was unclear whether Vietnam would submit its best proposal by this date.

The report noted that neither the U.S. Trade Representative nor the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade responded to requests for comment.

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

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