On the afternoon of February 3, 2026, 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 held a working session with US Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden to exchange views on agricultural cooperation and issues related to bilateral trade.

The meeting took place as the two countries were conducting the sixth round of negotiations the Vietnam - US Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade Agreement, aiming to soon establish a stable trade framework that harmonises interests.

In this process, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam continues to play its role as the focal agency for negotiations, proactively linking market access and tariff discussions with sectoral cooperation. This approach has contributed to fostering a constructive, substantive and favourable atmosphere for the overall negotiation process between the two countries.

At the meeting, the two sides held in-depth discussions on cooperation in agricultural technology transfer. Vietnam highly appreciated the experience and strengths of the US in developing high-tech agriculture, including the application of disease-resistant crop varieties, sustainable water resource management and agricultural processing.

On that basis, the Acting Minister proposed expanding programmes for expert exchanges, technology transfer and human resource training, as well as implementing joint venture projects, particularly in the production of ethanol from corn and agricultural by-products. Vietnam expressed its readiness to coordinate in developing pilot models in several localities as a basis for scaling up, delivering tangible benefits to farmers and businesses in both countries.

Regarding reciprocal tariff negotiations, the Acting Minister affirmed that the agricultural trade structure between Vietnam and the US is complementary rather than directly competitive. Vietnam has demonstrated strong goodwill by reducing import tariffs to 0% for most US agricultural products, while also signing a memorandum of understanding committing to purchase USD 3 billion worth of US agricultural products during the 2025 - 2028 period.

In 2025 alone, Vietnam’s imports of US agricultural products reached approximately USD 2 billion. Based on the principle of fairness and balanced interests, Vietnam proposed that the US Department of Agriculture support expanding the list of Vietnamese agricultural products eligible for a 0% reciprocal tariff rate, thereby facilitating better access to the US market.

Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden expressed interest in issues such as fruit market access, animal and plant quarantine, and procedures for the registration of biotechnology products.

Highlighting the potential of the Vietnamese market and the prospects for bilateral cooperation, the Deputy Secretary said that the US plans to organise two delegations to Vietnam in March and November 2026, with the participation of representatives from various states and major agricultural enterprises. The visits are intended to promote agricultural trade and technology transfer cooperation, particularly in biotechnology.

The meeting concluded in a positive and cooperative atmosphere, contributing to strengthening Vietnam - the US relations during this important negotiation phase. Both sides agreed to continue maintaining close technical exchanges and coordinating in addressing issues of mutual concern, thereby promoting agricultural trade in a stable and sustainable manner and making practical contributions to the overall success of the agreement negotiation process.