Overview
- Vietnam said President Trump told Communist Party chief To Lam he would instruct agencies to take the country off the U.S. strategic export control list.
- The leaders held their first in-person meeting at the White House after Lam attended the inaugural session of Trump's Board of Peace in Washington.
- Three Vietnamese carriers announced nearly US$37 billion in purchases from U.S. aerospace firms this week, including 40 Boeing 787s valued at about US$22.5 billion and around 50 Boeing 737-8 jets worth roughly US$8.1 billion.
- Hanoi framed the export-control move as a next step toward expanded economic, science, and technology cooperation, though no implementation details were released.
- The engagement comes as Trump approved a global 10% tariff hours after a Supreme Court ruling voided many earlier levies, following last year's deal that lowered Vietnam's minimum tariff rate to about 20%.