On the morning of February 4, on the sidelines of the sixth round of negotiations on the Vietnam - US Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade Agreement, Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung met with US Senator Bill Hagerty of the Republican Party, representing the state of Tennessee.

The meeting focused on strategic issues related to bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation, as the two countries are accelerating the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and entering a critical phase of negotiations on the reciprocal trade agreement.

The two sides agreed that maintaining regular, substantive policy dialogue plays an important role in strengthening mutual trust, building consensus and establishing a stable foundation for long-term cooperation.

At the meeting, Acting Minister Le Manh Hung reaffirmed that Vietnam consistently pursues the policy of promoting economic relations with the US on the basis of harmonised interests, balance and sustainability. In the context of bilateral trade negotiations being actively advanced by both sides, he stressed Vietnam’s desire to soon achieve outcomes that serve the interests of both countries, thereby creating a stable legal framework, enhancing predictability and reinforcing the confidence of the business and investor community.

In his remarks, Senator Bill Hagerty highly appreciated Vietnam’s increasingly prominent role and position in regional and global supply chains, and expressed the US interest in expanding cooperation in high technology, innovation and the semiconductor industry. Many major US technology groups, including NVIDIA, are considering and seeking investment and cooperation opportunities in Vietnam, viewing the country as a priority destination in strategies to shift and diversify supply chains.

Acting Minister Le Manh Hung welcomed the role of Senator Bill Hagerty in connecting US policymakers and the business community with partners in Vietnam, and proposed that the Senator continue to voice support for the bilateral trade negotiation process, contributing to the early conclusion of the reciprocal trade agreement in a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial manner.

The Acting Minister also expressed his hope to strengthen linkages between major US corporations and Vietnamese enterprises, towards specific cooperation projects with greater depth and higher added value.

The two sides agreed to continue exchanges at various levels, enhance policy coordination and business connectivity, and make practical contributions to consolidating the foundation of economic and trade cooperation, helping to advance Vietnam - US relations in a stable, substantive and effective manner in the time ahead.