The response to Trump
The Vietnamese government has begun responding to various moves by President Donald Trump’s administration that are impacting the country.
According to Reuters, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson said at the regular press conference last week that “Vietnam stands ready to discuss [tariffs] with the U.S. in a constructive manner.”
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên also recently met with U.S. Ambassador Marc Knapper, who reportedly assured the minister that U.S. tariffs were not aimed at Vietnam.
At the same press conference, the foreign ministry also said it is ready to cooperate with the U.S. to receive deported Vietnamese nationals, with the spokesperson reportedly saying: “In the past, the repatriation of Vietnamese citizens deported by the U.S. has been conducted based on a bilateral agreement on citizen returns.”
And in a final note from the foreign ministry press conference, the spokesperson said Vietnam hopes to continue cooperating with the U.S. on aid programs currently frozen by the Trump administration: “We continue to follow with keen attention the decisions made on the U.S.’s part with regard to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Over the past years, through various means and different kinds of cooperation, including USAID, the two countries have engaged in effective collaboration in various fields, including healthcare, environment, climate change, disaster relief and war legacy issues.”
The New York Times published a devastating feature by Damien Cave this week titled ‘Agent Orange Twisted Her Limbs. The U.S. Is Abandoning a Vow to Help.’
The National Assembly session ends
Rounding out the National Assembly’s extraordinary session covered last week: on Wednesday, lawmakers approved a revision to this year’s GDP growth target, raising it to 8% from the previous 6.5%-7%.
The NA approved the planned US$8 billion railway linking Hải Phòng to Lào Cai – a key border crossing with China – through Hanoi.
Lawmakers also approved several policies related to nuclear energy development in Ninh Thuận Province, though, as discussed before, it’s not clear which countries will partner on the two planned plants or how they will be funded.
According to Thanh Nien, National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn closed out the session, saying: “This is a significant milestone in the legislative development process, playing a crucial role in the reform and streamlining of the political system’s organizational structure. It also helps promptly address institutional and policy challenges, creating breakthroughs to improve infrastructure, maximize resources, and foster new development opportunities for both localities and the entire country.”
Extra Links:
‘Airpocalypse’ Now: Vietnam at Crossroads of Progress and Pollution (Fulcrum)
How the National Lottery Reflects Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Realities Through Time (Saigoneer)
Socialist’s Castle (Parallax)
What Lies Ahead for U.S.-Mekong Relations in a Second Trump Administration? (Mekong Dispatch)
Vietnam faces scrutiny for not sharing enough data on rhino horn trade (Mongabay)
Source: thevietnamweekly.substack.com