Vietnam willing to boost US purchases, trade minister says, as new round of tariff talks begins

HANOI, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Vietnam is willing to increase purchases of U.S. goods, especially machinery and high‑tech products, its trade minister said on Wednesday, as the Southeast Asian nation began a sixth round of tariff negotiations in Washington this week.

Trade Minister Le Manh Hung met with several U.S. companies in the energy and technology sectors, including executives from Apple, Exxon Mobil, GE, AES and Excelerate Energy, according to a statement from the ministry.

The White House in October said the United States and Vietnam would finalise a trade agreement that will keep tariffs on most Vietnamese goods at 20% but remove duties on certain products.

Vietnam’s shipments to the United States, its largest export market, reached a record high of $153 billion last year, despite the tariffs.

During the trip, trade minister Hung witnessed the signing of several memorandums of understanding with U.S. companies to buy American crude oil, ethanol and corn, Vietnam state media reported on Wednesday.

The MOUs were signed with Chevron, Marquis Energy and ADM Asia-Pacific Trading in Washington, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu, Phuong Nguyen; Editing by David Stanway)