Washington trade mission set to explore collaboration opportunities

Delegates will spend two-and-a-half days each in Hanoi in Ho Chi Minh City. Trade mission activities include bilateral meetings with Vietnamese leaders, visits to various manufacturing facilities and innovation centres, meetings with cultural and higher education leaders, as well as business networking and product promotion events.

Much of the itinerary is focused on strengthening trade and collaboration opportunities in advanced technology sectors such as agriculture, clean energy, and AI.

Washington’s study and trade mission follows President Biden’s visit in September 2023 to elevate the United States' relationship with Vietnam to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Vietnam is among the fastest-growing economies in Asia, with several advanced manufacturing sectors setting up shop in the country. Washington companies with a presence in Vietnam include Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Brooks and SSA Marine. In 2023, Vietnam was Washington state’s fifth-largest export market when including agriculture such as apples, wheat, and dairy.

The US and nine international partners launched the Just Energy Transition Partnership with Vietnam in 2022 to provide investment and technical expertise to help Vietnam transition its energy sector and reach net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050.

More than 90,000 Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American people live in Washington today. In the late 1970s, Washington famously became the only state that stood up to welcome hundreds of refugees from Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

The commerce delegation is focused on strengthening collaboration between Washington and Vietnam on advanced technology, renewable energy and clean technology, forestry, maritime, and a strong STEM workforce.

The agriculture delegation is focused on expanding business connections, promoting Washington food agricultural products, and learning more about opportunities in the Vietnamese market. Delegates represent products including wheat and wheat flour, apples, wine, cherries, and hay.

US discount store to buy from Vietnam Big Lots (NYSE: BIG), the American discount retail chain, announced on April 1 that it has opened international buying offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai to enhance the company's competitiveness in sourcing products.

50 leading US businesses to visit Vietnam A high-level business delegation, including 50 top US businesses, will visit Vietnam from March 18–21 to explore investment opportunities.

US investment funds appreciate potential of Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is in the US for the high-level week of the UN General Assembly’s 78th session, had a seminar and a working dinner with leaders of multinational businesses and leading US investment funds in New York on September 21 (local time).