Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son and US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized the significance of the recent phone call between General Secretary To Lam and US President Donald Trump on April 4. He informed Ambassador Knapper that General Secretary To Lam had appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc as a Special Envoy to the United States to follow up on the discussions.

Mr. Son proposed that the US side facilitate meetings between the Deputy Prime Minister and relevant US partners to expedite dialogue and reach mutually beneficial agreements for the people and businesses of both countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that while Vietnam understands the US’s concerns about trade balance, the imposition of reciprocal tariffs does not reflect the current state of bilateral economic and trade relations and the spirit of the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and could negatively impact the positive momentum in economic cooperation.

Ambassador Marc Knapper expressed appreciation for the high-level engagement between General Secretary To Lam and President Trump, describing it as President Trump’s first phone call with a foreign leader following the announcement of new tariffs. He thanked Vietnam for its constructive approach and understanding of the US's concerns, saying the upcoming discussions provide a valuable opportunity for both sides to work out practical solutions to bring the trade relationship toward sustainable and mutually beneficial development.