HANOI: Vietnam has ordered its major airlines to review the progress of multibillion-dollar agreements signed with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney, and explore new import deals with American companies, as Hanoi seeks to strengthen its hand in trade talks with the United States.
The directive, issued by the Ministry of Construction on June 5 and reviewed by Reuters on Tuesday (June 9), followed a request from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which is leading Vietnam's efforts to demonstrate to Washington that bilateral trade commitments are being acted upon.
The move follows three separate Trump administration probes targeting Hanoi for allegedly distorting trade through excess capacity, intellectual property violations, and the use of goods produced using forced labour.
In the document, the ministry told flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, budget airline Vietjet Air, and newly launched Sun Phu Quoc Airways to provide details on the progress made to implement and deliver deals signed with US partners, and to propose ways to expand imports of American high-technology materials and equipment.
Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air together signed a deal to purchase 250 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Sun Phu Quoc Airways, the aviation arm of the Sun Group conglomerate, separately contracted to buy 40 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner wide-body jets, according to the directive.
Vietjet also holds a contract with Pratt & Whitney, part of RTX Group, for engines for its Airbus aircraft, according to the document.
Vietnam's exports to the United States have surged. The US trade deficit with Vietnam reached US$54.8 billion in the first three months of this year, second only to Taiwan and higher than the deficits with major exporters China and Mexico, US data showed.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said it wants to reduce trade deficits. - Reuters
