Vietnam PM urges US to lift some high-tech export restrictions

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HANOI (Reuters) -Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Wednesday urged the United States to lift export restrictions on some technology and said the country wanted to develop satellite communications.

Speaking at an event in Hanoi organised by the American Chamber of Commerce, Chinh also said the two countries should keep good relations and cooperate to foster multilateralism to address global challenges.

He did not make reference to possible U.S. tariffs on Vietnam despite threats from the upcoming Trump administration of up to 20% duties on all imports. Vietnam is a significant exporter to the U.S. and has a large trade surplus with Washington.

“We hope the United States will lift its embargo on Vietnam for some technologies,” Chinh told the conference. “We are not fighting anyone, so why do you keep the embargo?” Chinh said.

   The U.S. currently limits Vietnam’s access to chemical and biological weapons and to technology that is considered critical to U.S. security. But Vietnam is already permitted to import conventional weapons from the United States, as well as some nuclear and missile technology.

The prime minister also said Vietnam wanted to develop satellite communications and was in talks with U.S. aerospace giant SpaceX.

He reiterated a call for the United States to recognise the Communist-run country as a market economy, a move that could reduce tariffs on sanctioned trades.

Chinh also said that foreign investment flows into Vietnam this year were expected to total around $25 billion.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by John Mair and Lincoln Feast.)