Vietnam seeks US tariff delay as economic growth slows in first quarter

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There are fears US tariffs could pb  to mill  downsizing and occupation  losses successful  VietnamThere are fears US tariffs could pb to mill downsizing and occupation losses successful Vietnam. Photo: Huu Kha / AFP
Source: AFP

Vietnam has asked for a last-minute hold to colossal tariffs imposed by Washington arsenic authorities figures showed connected Sunday that its economy grew astatine a somewhat slower gait successful the archetypal quarter.

The Southeast Asian manufacturing powerhouse counted the United States arsenic its biggest export marketplace successful the archetypal 3 months of the twelvemonth but its cardinal lawsuit has present deed it with a thumping 46 percent tariff.

The determination is portion of a furious caller planetary commercialized blitz announced Wednesday by US President Donald Trump that has sent markets astir the satellite into a tailspin.

However, apical person To Lam has asked Trump for a hold of astatine slightest 45 days to the caller 46 percent tariff, according to a transcript of a ceremonial missive seen by AFP.

In the letter, Lam said helium had appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc to service arsenic the superior interaction with the US broadside connected the issue, "with the purpose of reaching an statement arsenic soon arsenic possible".

He besides said helium hoped to conscionable Trump successful Washington astatine the extremity of May to finalise the matter.

Trump said connected Friday helium had had "a precise productive" telephone with Lam, who helium said wanted to marque a woody connected tariffs.

Gross home merchandise successful Vietnam during the archetypal 4th grew 6.93 percent year-on-year, down somewhat from the 7.55 enlargement successful the last 4th of past year, Vietnam's General Statistics Office said Sunday.

Despite the situation presented by US levies, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said a people of "at slightest 8 percent" maturation this twelvemonth remains unchanged, the government's authoritative quality portal said.

To execute its goal, Vietnam's Ministry of Finance has determined that the system volition request to turn betwixt 8.2 and 8.4 percent successful the remaining quarters, the authorities said.

'Significant damage'

The US tariffs endanger to "significantly damage" Vietnam's existent maturation model, which relies heavy connected exports to the United States, said Sayaka Shiba, elder state hazard expert astatine probe steadfast BMI.

She said that, successful the worst-case scenario, Vietnam could endure a three-percent deed to GDP this year.

Trump has claimed the Communist state charges the United States a 90 percent tariff, a fig based connected Vietnam's commercialized surplus with the United States, worthy $123.5 cardinal past year.

Experts judge the caller tariffs volition deed hardest successful sectors specified arsenic seafood, garments, footwear, wood, electronics and smartphones.

Major US corporations with manufacturing operations successful Vietnam, including Nike and Adidas, are apt to spot orders alteration and reductions successful revenue, perchance starring to mill downsizing and occupation losses, Pham Van Dai, a lecturer successful economics astatine Fulbright University Vietnam, told AFP.

Vietnam's exports roseate 10.6 percent year-on-year successful the archetypal quarter, authoritative information showed, expanding importantly from 7.9 percent maturation successful the last 4th of 2024.

Industrial accumulation was up 7.8 percent year-on-year, slowing from an 11.5 percent enlargement successful the erstwhile quarter.

Experts judge investors are inactive holding a "wait and see" mentality amid the uncertainty caused by Trump's tariffs.

"Now is the worst clip for investors to marque semipermanent decisions," said Dai, adding that they are waiting for "clearer policies from the United States and (other) countries' responses".

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Source: AFP

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