Vietnam and U.S. Near Finalization of Bilateral Trade Agreement
Vietnam and the U.S. are nearing a final trade deal after seven rounds of talks. Officials report progress as trade surpluses continue to climb.
POLICY WIRE — Hanoi, Vietnam — Vietnamese officials announced this week that negotiations for a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States are nearing completion. The progress follows seven distinct rounds of formal discussions held since April 2025.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc confirmed the status of the talks during a business forum in Hanoi on Wednesday. He noted that Vietnam has already submitted the final text of the proposed agreement to Washington for review.
According to trade ministry official Ngo Chung Khanh, the two nations have basically completed almost all negotiating contents. Both sides are currently focused on resolving a limited number of remaining technical details to finalize the pact.
The push for a deal comes amid significant economic activity between the two countries. Vietnam’s National Statistics Office reported that the nation’s trade surplus with the U.S. hit $122.62 billion during the first nine months of 2026, marking a 23.8% increase compared to the previous year.
Vietnamese leader To Lam recently characterized the ongoing negotiations as positive, signaling that a formal agreement could be signed in the near future. The discussions have centered on addressing various tariffs and existing trade barriers.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
