Vietnam removing all tariffs cannot earn genuine US goodwill? US: Unless Vietnam draws a clear line with China

According to a June 5 report by Bloomberg, U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo stated in an interview that even if Vietnam removed all import tariffs on American-made goods, the U.S. would "absolutely not" implement reciprocal "zero tariff" policies for Vietnamese goods. This is because Vietnam has shipped large amounts of Chinese goods to the U.S. He also hinted that if Vietnam stopped sending Chinese goods to the U.S., then perhaps there might be room for negotiation between the two countries.

There are also reports that the Trump administration has included a long list of extremely stringent requirements in the annex of the U.S.-Vietnam negotiation framework text, including the stipulation that "Vietnam factories must reduce their use of materials and components from China." This document has been sent to Vietnam. So far, Vietnam has not responded to the U.S. document.

Clearly, after Trump launched the "tariff war," Vietnam was the first to stumble. It agreed to increase purchases of American agricultural products and energy, proposed implementing "zero tariffs" on American goods, and even granted a green light to the Trump family, accelerating approval of its illegal golf course project in Hanoi. However, instead of earning respect, Vietnam has become an easy target in the eyes of Americans. Not only have the demands placed on it increased and become more stringent, but even drawing a clear line with China can only earn a possible reply that negotiations might continue.

It should be noted that if Vietnam agrees to these requirements proposed by Trump, it will deal a fatal blow to the Vietnamese economy. Since Vietnam's economy is highly dependent on exports to the U.S., exports accounted for 30% of its GDP in 2024. If Vietnam cannot import raw materials and goods from China, its export volume will certainly plummet sharply. At that time, Americans can still purchase "transshipped" Chinese goods from places like the EU, while Vietnamese factories will shut down and go bankrupt, and Vietnamese people will return to living on "dirt" overnight.

As Western experts say, we do not know whether America's demands are based on a realistic understanding of Vietnam's economy or ignorance of its structural realities. But obviously, if the U.S. government insists on pushing these demands, the relationship most likely to suffer the greatest damage may not be Sino-Vietnamese relations but U.S.-Vietnamese relations.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834066829224064/

Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's personal views.