The third round of negotiations on a reciprocal trade agreement between Vietnam and the US, held in Washington D.C. from June 9-12, made positive progress, narrowing differences across all areas under discussion, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

During the talks, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien had discussions on tariffs and broader trade cooperation with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer.

Talks were characterized by candid and constructive exchanges, particularly on matters raised in Vietnam’s official response document previously submitted to the US side. Both delegations also took time to listen to each other’s analyses and reasoning to move towards mutually acceptable solutions.

The two sides also agreed to convene an online working-level meeting in the coming days to continue resolving outstanding issues and prepare for a virtual ministerial dialogue between Minister Dien and Secretary Lutnick.

On the final afternoon of technical-level negotiations, Minister Dien held a direct session with both Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer. This marked the first time the US had initiated such a ministerial-level discussion in this format.

Drawing from the four days of discussions, Minister Dien presented several proposals to accelerate the negotiation process and work towards substantive outcomes.

Both Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer appreciated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts throughout the negotiations. They largely concurred with the proposals made by Minister Dien, viewing them as a strong foundation for the two sides to continue technical discussions and work towards a final agreement.