Vietnam has called on the United States to remove the country from its D1 and D3 export control lists and recognize its market economy status during a series of high-level meetings with visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in Hanoi.

Landau is in Vietnam to attend the ASEAN Future Forum 2026 and hold discussions with senior Vietnamese leaders on bilateral cooperation.

Vietnam seeks deeper and more practical cooperation

Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc, Landau was told that Vietnam seeks cooperation with international partners, including the United States, on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and respect for each country's political system, development conditions and legitimate interests.

Pham described the United States as one of Vietnam's most important partners and expressed hope that bilateral relations would continue to deepen in a substantive and effective manner.

Emphasising that economic and trade ties remain the primary driver of the relationship, the deputy prime minister reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to creating favourable conditions for US businesses to invest and operate in the country. He called on both sides to work closely toward concluding a fair and balanced reciprocal trade agreement that serves the interests of both nations.

Addressing issues of concern to Washington, Pham stressed that Vietnamese law strictly prohibits all forms of forced labour and that authorities are committed to combating and punishing intellectual property violations.

He also urged the United States to strengthen cooperation in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, while moving quickly to remove Vietnam from the D1 and D3 export control categories and formally recognize the country's market economy status.

Landau said Washington values its relationship with Vietnam and supports a strong, independent, resilient and prosperous Vietnam that contributes to regional and global peace, stability and development.

The United States, he said, hopes to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across a broad range of sectors, including trade, energy, defence and security, science and technology, innovation, critical minerals and aviation.

He added that President Donald Trump, the US administration and the State Department highly appreciated Vietnam's participation in international peace efforts, including General Secretary and State President To Lam's visit to the United States in February to attend the opening session of the Gaza Peace Council.

Defence cooperation remains a priority

In talks with General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Vietnam reiterated its desire to conclude a reciprocal and balanced trade agreement as soon as possible.

Giang described defence cooperation as one of the most effective and practical areas of bilateral engagement and proposed maintaining existing consultation and dialogue mechanisms while expanding cooperation in military training, United Nations peacekeeping operations, cybersecurity, military medicine, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The Ministry of National Defence also called on the US State Department to fulfil previously announced commitments, including an additional $130 million in funding for the dioxin remediation project at Bien Hoa Air Base, with the goal of completing the effort before 2030.

Giang said Vietnam would continue providing maximum support for efforts to locate US personnel missing in action from the war. He also urged the United States to share more information, documents and memorabilia relating to Vietnamese soldiers and to support Vietnam's DNA identification capabilities.

Looking ahead to the third Vietnam International Defence Expo, scheduled for December, Giang welcomed the participation of US officials and defence companies.

Landau reaffirmed Washington's commitment to strengthening defence cooperation and advancing the broader bilateral relationship.

Expanding cooperation in security and diplomacy

During a separate meeting with Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang, both sides noted the remarkable progress achieved since the normalization of relations 30 years ago and the launch of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership nearly three years ago.

Quang described Vietnam-US ties as a model for overcoming historical differences and building a future-oriented partnership.

The minister proposed expanded US support for professional training, knowledge exchanges and capacity-building programmes for Vietnamese law enforcement personnel, as well as assistance with equipment and facilities used to combat transnational crime.

Landau said the United States remains ready to cooperate closely with Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security and other agencies to address shared challenges and deliver practical benefits to both governments, businesses and citizens.

Meeting Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, Landau discussed trade issues and long-term prospects for bilateral cooperation.

Trung noted that Vietnam-US relations have evolved significantly over the years, overcoming many challenges to achieve important milestones. He said Vietnam is actively implementing measures to promote balanced, sustainable and mutually beneficial trade while creating greater market access and expanding cooperation in areas of shared potential.

The foreign minister also highlighted the importance of science and technology, education, cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties, describing them as enduring pillars of the relationship and key drivers of public support in both countries.

For his part, Landau praised Vietnam's development achievements and noted that the two countries share significant interests in trade, economic growth and security.

He stressed that diplomacy and open dialogue remain essential for understanding each other's priorities and managing differences effectively.

The United States, he said, hopes to resolve trade issues constructively while developing a long-term vision for bilateral cooperation. He also praised Vietnam's role in regional affairs and expressed Washington's desire to hear Hanoi's perspectives on regional challenges and opportunities.

Tran Thuong