China And Vietnam Sign Cooperation Deals Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC — Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to deepen trade and supply chain cooperation with Vietnam during a visit to Hanoi, where the two nations signed a series of agreements as both face mounting trade tensions with the United States.

Xi’s trip comes at a time when China is contending with U.S. tariffs of up to 145%, while Vietnam is negotiating to reduce proposed duties of 46% that could take effect in July after a global tax moratorium lapses.

Writing in Nhandan, the official newspaper of Vietnam’s Communist Party, Xi called for strengthened collaboration between the two countries in areas such as production, artificial intelligence, green development, and particularly in supply chains. “There are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars,” he said, without directly naming the United States.

Following a meeting with Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, both countries formalized dozens of cooperation agreements, including deals on supply chain integration and railway development, Reuters reported.

As part of efforts to comply with Washington’s trade scrutiny, Vietnam has ramped up controls on exports to ensure that goods labeled “Made in Vietnam” meet U.S. standards for local value addition, Reuters said.

Vietnam, a leading manufacturing and export hub in Southeast Asia, depends heavily on Chinese imports while sending the majority of its exports to the United States. In the first quarter of 2025, Vietnam imported roughly $30 billion worth of goods from China and exported $31.4 billion to the U.S., according to official customs data cited by Reuters.

Despite robust economic ties, geopolitical frictions persist, particularly over maritime claims in the South China Sea. Reuters noted that Vietnam’s recent moves to avoid U.S. tariffs, including a deal involving Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite services, could further strain its relationship with Beijing.