President Trump Announces “Significant Tariff Reductions” on Vietnamese Goods: A Golden Opportunity for Export Businesses and the Logistics Industry

According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at 8 PM on July 2nd, General Secretary To Lam had a phone call with US President Donald Trump to discuss bilateral relations and issues related to reciprocal tariffs between the two countries.

During the exchange, President Trump highly appreciated Vietnam’s commitment to opening its market, especially to American goods such as large-displacement automobiles. He also affirmed that the US would significantly reduce the tariffs currently applied to many types of goods exported from Vietnam to the US.

However, according to experts, the key issue now is waiting for detailed information on specific tariff rates, classification and application to each type of goods, as well as a clear definition of “transit goods”.

Several scenarios regarding tax policy are predicted.

Mr. Nguyen The Minh – Director of Individual Client Analysis at Yuanta Securities Vietnam – believes that the US could implement one of two options:

• Applying a uniform tax rate to all goods.
• Establishing different tax rates depending on the localization rate and origin of raw materials.

According to Mr. Minh, the new tax policy is likely to reduce the US’s dependence on goods from China. One highly anticipated scenario is that the US will impose a tax rate of approximately 20% on goods manufactured in Vietnam, with the specific rate depending on the percentage of raw materials imported from China.

Although the 20% rate may be higher than initially expected (10–15%), according to Mr. Minh, this is still a positive sign, helping Vietnamese goods maintain a competitive advantage over China and some other countries.

The issue of “transit goods” raises concerns.

Regarding information that the US may impose tariffs of up to 40% on goods deemed to be in transit through Vietnam, Mr. Minh stated that the crucial issue is how the US defines “transit” and the specific regulations involved. Vietnam also needs to develop a negotiation plan to mitigate the impact if this scenario occurs.

Following the announcement of tariff negotiations, the stock prices of some US companies such as Nike, Apple, and footwear manufacturers increased, reflecting positive investor sentiment following the preliminary results.

Currently, no specific tariff rates have been announced for each industry group. However, the move from the US shows a clear willingness to adjust tariffs on Vietnamese goods.

Nevertheless, to fully assess the impact on foreign direct investment (FDI), it is necessary to continue monitoring the tariff policies that the US will apply to other countries in the region.

Academic Opinions

Associate Professor Pham The Anh – Head of the Economics Department, National Economics University – stated that if the US applies flexible tariffs based on domestic content, this would be a positive signal for Vietnam’s export growth. He assessed that if the tariff framework of around 20% is accurate, it would still be an “acceptable” figure in the current context.

Meanwhile, countries like India and Japan are also rushing to negotiate trade agreements with the US, but still face many obstacles, especially in the agricultural and automotive sectors.

What should logistics businesses do in the face of this wave of change?

For logistics businesses, especially those specializing in exports to the US like Interlink, this is a “golden” time to optimize transportation solutions, standardize documentation, and build a clear and transparent supply chain system.

Interlink currently supports hundreds of Vietnamese businesses in the following processes:

• Consulting and processing Certificates of Origin (CO), helping goods meet new US tariff requirements.
• Optimizing cross-border shipping: from consolidation, warehousing, booking to door-to-door delivery in the US.
• Analyzing supply chain strategies to avoid transshipment risks and ensure compliance with new regulations.

What opportunities are there for export businesses?

The US is currently one of Vietnam’s largest export markets, with export value reaching tens of billions of USD annually. The tariff reduction will:

• Increase the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods compared to China and other countries in the region.
• Promote FDI into domestic manufacturing industries such as textiles, electronics, and wood products – leading to a significant increase in logistics demand.
• Create momentum for breakthroughs for Vietnamese businesses, especially those already prepared in terms of documentation, logistics systems, and market strategies.

Interlink – Your Trusted Logistics Partner in the New Wave of Trade

With over 15 years of experience in international logistics and a wide network of partners in the US, Interlink is ready to support Vietnamese businesses in overcoming tariff barriers, optimizing costs, and accelerating exports.

If you are a business exporting to the US or planning to expand your market in the near future, don’t miss this “big wave.” Policies may change, but the advantage will be with those who prepare in advance.