WASHINGTON, DC – Despite the accusations that the Vietnamese government manipulates their currency, the Trump administration never imposed tariffs on imports from the country, in part due to the importance of agricultural trading relationships. However the Biden administration appears to be considering the imposition of tariffs over currency concerns.
On Friday, trade negotiators from the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office met virtually with their counterparts in Vietnam to discuss a number of trade issues, including the Section 301 investigation launched under the former administration.
Vietnam is currently a major export destination for U.S. cotton and pork and the two countries do not have a formal free trade agreement
Maria Zieba is Assistant Vice President of International Affairs for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and admits that there are a number of non-tariff barriers act as an additional barrier on U.S. pork exports to Vietnam and imposing tariffs on that country’s imports would have left U.S. hog farmers vulnerable to retaliation.
(SOURCE: All Ag News)