The agreement was reached during a brief meeting on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26 between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and US President Donald Trump.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a deeper, more practical, and effective manner. A key focus will be the early signing of the reciprocal trade agreement, designed to promote fair and equitable trade, boost US investment in Vietnam, and expand cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, and innovation.

In response to Prime Minister Chinh’s proposals, President Trump expressed support and took note of Vietnam’s request for market economy recognition and for its removal from the US strategic export control lists (D1, D3). He said he has instructed senior officials, including the Secretary of the Treasury and the US Trade Representative, who were also attending the Summit to hold immediate discussions with the Vietnamese delegation and report back on progress.

Prime Minister Chinh commended President Trump’s recent efforts to promote peaceful solutions to ongoing global conflicts and reaffirmed Vietnam’s support for dialogue, multilateralism, and cooperation based on mutual respect.

He conveyed an invitation from General Secretary To Lam and other senior Vietnamese leaders for President Trump to visit Vietnam. The US President accepted the invitation with pleasure, saying he would arrange a suitable time for the visit.

Prime Minister Chinh also proposed that the US side facilitate a visit to the United States by General Secretary To Lam. President Trump welcomed the idea and suggested both sides coordinate on appropriate timing. He also expressed his desire to host Prime Minister Chinh for an official visit to Washington in the near future.

Earlier the same day, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss the framework for implementing the proposed reciprocal trade agreement. The Vietnamese minister also held talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Jacob Helberg on expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital technology, and supply chain resilience, and on the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the near future.

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