Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm (right) met with US Trade Representative and Ambassador Jamieson Greer in New York on September 21 (local time), as part of his trip to the US to attend the High-Level General Debate of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly and conduct bilateral activities. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and the US are continuing active discussions towards an agreement on reciprocal, fair and balanced trade, and details will be made available once negotiations are concluded.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng made the statement at the ministry's regular press briefing in Hà Nội on Thursday, in response to a question about the negotiations and expected tariff levels under the agreement following Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm's recent visit to the US.

Both sides expect the negotiations might be finished soon.

During his visit to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly and conduct bilateral activities, the top leader met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, head of the US negotiating team, in New York on September 21.

The two sides recognised positive developments in the negotiations and expressed support for the early signing of a reciprocal, fair and balanced trade agreement, which is expected to provide a stable and long-term framework for bilateral economic, trade and investment relations.

Hằng said the talks are ongoing, with both sides working to ensure a positive outcome that safeguards the legitimate interests of people and businesses, takes into account the development conditions of both countries and contributes to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and the US, as well as shared global prosperity.

"Relevant Vietnamese authorities will provide full and detailed information as soon as the two sides reach an agreement," Hằng noted, without giving a timetable for the conclusion of the negotiations or a specific tariff level under discussion.

The latest US–Việt Nam trade framework announced in October 2025 provides that the US would maintain a 20 per cent reciprocal tariff on originating goods from Việt Nam, while identifying certain products eligible for a 0 per cent reciprocal tariff. In return, Việt Nam agreed to provide preferential market access for substantially all US industrial and agricultural exports. 

Since then, the framework has been subject to further negotiations as the two countries work towards a final agreement.

Greer said that negotiators had made substantial efforts and achieved significant progress, bringing the talks "very close" to a final outcome. Meanwhile, Lâm called for the agreement to be concluded soon to establish a stable, long-term framework for bilateral economic and trade ties.

According to Việt Nam's customs data, two-way trade between Việt Nam and the US reached US$137.42 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 23.4 per cent year-on-year, despite tariff impacts and other global volatility. The US accounted for about 32.1 per cent of Việt Nam's total exports during the period, remaining the country's largest export market.

EU tax blacklist

Also at the press conference, the spokesperson responded to a question about international media reports about the European Union (EU) being expected to remove Việt Nam from its list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes in its October update, eight months after including the country in its February assessment following an OECD peer review on exchange of information standards.

Hằng said: "In the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and the EU, Việt Nam has been and continues to engage in close, responsible exchanges, information sharing and cooperation with the European Council and EU member states on the progress Việt Nam has made in improving its legal system and tax policies and mechanisms in a consistent, transparent and fair manner, in line with international standards and practices.

"These efforts help facilitate a more objective and comprehensive assessment that accurately reflects the situation in Việt Nam, while promoting cooperation between Việt Nam and its European partners for shared development and prosperity."

Commitment to intellectual property protection

Responding to a separate question about measures to protect intellectual property rights (IPR), particularly for Vietnamese businesses operating overseas, the foreign ministry spokesperson said Việt Nam consistently implements policies to protect intellectual property rights both domestically and abroad.

The ministry and other Vietnamese agencies regularly work with their counterparts in other countries to assess the state of IPR protection and clarify Việt Nam's policies, Hằng said.

Vietnamese representative offices abroad also maintain contact with local authorities to understand IPR regulations in their respective countries and relay relevant information to Vietnamese businesses and communities, she noted.

The diplomat added that this information is disseminated to Vietnamese businesses and communities to help them understand and comply with IPR regulations, stressing that such cooperation contributes to a transparent and favourable investment and business environment. — VNS