Trump signals easing of US tech curbs on Vietnam

US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese leader To Lam at the White House on February 20, marking their first formal in-person talks, during which Washington signalled a possible easing of technology restrictions on Hanoi amid evolving trade relations between the two countries.

According to a summary published on the Vietnamese government’s news website, Trump said he would instruct relevant US agencies to work toward removing Vietnam from strategic export control lists that currently limit its access to advanced American technologies. The meeting took place after To Lam attended an inaugural session of the Board of Peace in Washington.

The talks unfolded against the backdrop of complicated trade negotiations between the two sides. Vietnam had previously been heavily affected by Trump’s tariff policy: when the US president announced his so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, Vietnam — which held the third-largest trade surplus with the United States after China and Mexico — faced one of the highest tariff rates.

In July, however, Hanoi reached a compromise agreement with Washington, securing a minimum tariff level of 20 per cent, reduced from more than 40 per cent, in exchange for opening its domestic market to additional US goods, including automobiles.

Trade tensions intensified further after the US Supreme Court ruled that many of Trump’s sweeping import tariffs were illegal, a decision that came while negotiations with Vietnam and other partners were still ongoing. Despite the ruling, Trump later approved a global 10-per cent tariff on all countries just hours after the court’s decision.

Economic cooperation featured prominently in the discussions. Earlier this week, three Vietnamese airlines announced nearly $37 billion in purchases through a series of agreements with US aerospace companies. The meeting followed the disclosure of deals worth more than $30 billion under which Vietnamese carriers plan to acquire 90 aircraft from US manufacturer Boeing.

The developments highlight a broader effort by both sides to balance trade disputes with expanding commercial and strategic cooperation, particularly in technology access and aviation partnerships.

By Tamilla Hasanova