The Trump administration has announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on trading partners starting April 2.
Vietnam, with its substantial trade surplus with the U.S., finds itself in a vulnerable position. However, unlike other nations considering retaliatory tariffs, Vietnam is pursuing resolving this issue through diplomacy, including golf, according to a BBC report on Thursday.
Vietnam’s trade surplus with the U.S. reached $123 billion last year, a 20% increase from the previous year.
Vietnam has the third-largest trade surplus with the U.S. after China and Mexico, with 30% of its exports destined for American markets.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Vietnam’s trade surplus, describing it as worse than China’s, but he has not yet designated Vietnam as a tariff target.
The BBC noted that while Vietnam has maintained open lines of communication with the U.S. government, avoiding tariffs may be challenging. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is reportedly studying former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s approach to building a close relationship with Trump.
Abe frequently played golf with Trump, strengthening their friendship and securing exemptions for Japanese automobiles from tariffs.
According to the BBC, during a January visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Chinh expressed a willingness to “play golf all day” if it benefitted Vietnam, signaling a potential shift towards golf diplomacy.
Citing experts, BBC suggested that Vietnam’s “bamboo diplomacy” might include attracting investments in casinos and hospitality businesses, importing advanced machinery, and offering rights for Vietnam’s rare earth development to counter U.S. trade pressures.
In preparation for potential U.S. reciprocal tariffs, on Tuesday, Vietnam recently reduced tariffs on certain U.S. imports, including automobiles, poultry, fruits, and nuts.
It also lowered tariffs on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from the U.S. from 5% to 2%.
Vietnam 미내 approved Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service for pilot testing, a move likely to be viewed favorably by the White House.
