U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Vietnam must reduce nontariff trade barriers, improve intellectual property protections and align more closely with U.S. export controls before it can access high-tech U.S. equipment, Bloomberg reported on July 16. Vietnamese officials are holding another round of negotiations in Washington after talks became bogged down over market access, rules for determining whether goods are "transhipped" or made in Vietnam and measures against Chinese products rerouted through Vietnam.

The United States is seeking to reduce its large trade deficit with Vietnam, which has only grown since the White House announced "Liberation Day" tariffs in 2025 and currently stands at roughly $178 billion. Additionally, Washington intends to prevent Chinese manufacturers from using Vietnam to circumvent U.S. tariffs. Vietnam also faces separate U.S. investigations into intellectual property violations, manufacturing overcapacity and forced labor, giving Washington several potential grounds for imposing additional duties.