AmCham Vietnam
AmCham Vietnam’s mission is to promote trade and investment between the United States and Vietnam, and serve as the “voice of American business” in Vietnam.
AmCham advocates on behalf of our members to promote an enabling, fair, transparent, predictable, and efficient regulatory environmentt that values innovation.
We conduct our advocacy directly through trusted relationships with Vietnamese and U.S. Government leaders at the central, provincial, and state-levels. We also advocate using our positions as a consortium member of the Vietnam Business Forum and leadership in several VBF working groups. as a member of VBI-Fast Track, as a representative to the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Administrative Reform, through the U.S.- VIetnam Business Council with VCCI, and through partnerships with other chambers and business associations in Vietnam, AmChams of the Asia Pacific, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. We also hold regular dialogues with the People’s Committees of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and other provinces where our members have interest.
Many of our advocacy issues are first discussed in our VBF & Legal Committee, which holds monthly meetings jointly with AmCham Hanoi. Others arise in discussions in our 17 other industry sector committee. And our Business Intelligence events often focus on key issues of concern.
If you are an AmCham member with a potential advocacy issue, we encourage you to raise it in one of our relevant committees or through an email to [email protected]
AmCham Vietnam Advocacy Update – June 12, 2021
Advocacy Updated on Jun 6, 2021
AmCham Vietnam advocacy is focused on partnering with the Vietnamese government to support its efforts to secure adequate supplies of proven vaccine, and distribute them transparently and equitably, according to priority groups. Join our Members-only COVID-19 Virus, Variants, and Vaccines: Virtual Business Intelligence Briefing on Wednesday, June 9, at 10AM to hear the latest updates on the public health situation, prospects for vaccines, results of our member survey on COVID-19 vaccines, and AmCham advocacy on your behalf. To be clear, AmCham has no secret stock of vaccines and is not taking orders at this time.
We support the Vietnamese Government’s COVID-19 control efforts, including securing adequate quantities of proven vaccines, and facilitating equitable, transparent access and policies for our members to pay costs of vaccinating their employees and contribute toward costs of the general population. Our recent survey results will help inform these efforts.
We have advocated for the U.S. Government to consider Vietnam as a priority country for “vaccine diplomacy”, and are delighted that the White House announced on June 3rd that Vietnam will be among the priority countries in the first tranche of the U.S. Government’s global vaccine sharing.
AmCham Vietnam Chair Chad Ovel, Vice Chairs Jahanzeb Khan and Uyen Hồ, Board Member Hang Nguyen, and Executive Director Mary Tarnowka were honored to meet (virtually) with Vietnam Ambassador to the U.S. Ha Kim Ngoc to discuss cooperation on vaccines plus on Friday, June 4th. We welcomed the White House announcement of Vietnam as a priority country for U.S. vaccines, and voiced AmCham support for GVN efforts to secure additional vaccines and ensure equitable access according to priority groups. We also discussed other areas to work together to strengthen the U.S.-Vietnam economic partnership, including: Enabling a Safe Reopening and Recovery; Building Infrastructure for Sustainable Growth; Developing a Globally Competitive Workforce; and Strengthening the Trade and Investment Relationship: Laying the Groundwork for an Eventual FTA.
Last week, we also submitted a position paper to the Customs Authority regarding concerns of our F&B Committee regarding a draft decree proposing regulations on quality and state inspection on food safety for imported commodities, following up on earlier advocacy.
If you have interest in this or any other advocacy matters that require AmCham support, please contact relevant Committee leaders and/or [email protected]. More information on AmCham advocacy at LINK.
Advocacy Updated on May 30, 2021
AmCham Vietnam wants to partner with the Vietnamese government to support its efforts to secure additional supplies of proven vaccine, and distribute them transparently and equitably, according to priority groups. We encourage the U.S. government to consider Vietnam as a priority pilot country for “vaccine diplomacy”. Our survey results will help inform these efforts. If you are an AmCham member, please complete the survey immediately if you have not already done so.
AmCham Vietnam is advocating that the United States consider Vietnam a priority country for U.S. “vaccine diplomacy”. Vietnam is an important partner of the United States for economic, geopolitical, and cultural reasons. U.S. provision of vaccines to Vietnam would strengthen America’s standing as a trusted partner with Vietnam and demonstrate its commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.
This humanitarian action is especially urgent while Vietnam is dealing with its fourth and most widespread wave, now with a new variant, with less than one percent of its nearly 100-million population vaccinated. That 100-million population includes an estimated 100,000 American citizens, for whom we also advocate for equitable access to vaccines accordingly to Vietnamese government priority guidelines.
Increased supply of vaccines in Vietnam would help enable the safe reopening and recovery of Vietnam’s economy. It would support restoration and continuity of operations of global supply chains of U.S. technology, footwear, apparel, and furniture companies, many of which have relocated to or expanded operations in Vietnam as they decreased reliance on China.
It also would enable U.S. companies to supply the increased demand of Vietnam’s growing middle-class. It would help sustain Vietnam as our sixth- largest export market for U.S. agricultural exports, contributing jobs and livelihoods to American farmers and workers. And it would enable Vietnam to continue to take actions to combat climate change through building infrastructure for sustainable growth, including investing in LNG, renewable energy, and agricultural technologies.
We are invested in the U.S.-Vietnam partnership. And we are invested in the future. We believe the relationship between the United States and Vietnam is at one of its strongest levels ever. Vaccine diplomacy by the United States now is urgently needed in Vietnam and would be an incredibly effective use and demonstration of American soft power.
If you have interest in contributing to any other advocacy matters that require AmCham support, please contact relevant Committee leaders and/or [email protected]. More information on AmCham advocacy at LINK.
Advocacy Updated on May 22, 2021
Last week, we submitted two position papers representing concerns of our Food & Beverages Committee members on inspection and goods labeling to Vietnamese authorities. On May 17th, we sent the General Department of Vietnam Customs: Comments on the Draft Decree Stipulating State Inspection on Quality and Food Safety for Imported Commodities. On May 18th, we sent the Ministry of Science and Technology: Comments on the Draft Decree Revising and Amending Certain Provision of the Government’s Decree 43/2017/ND-CP Dated 14 April 2017 on Goods Labeling. The F&B Committee’s Working Group on Sugary Beverages also shared an informal summary of its concerns about a potential new excise tax with the U.S. Mission.
At our May 18th Chairman’s Circle Dinner, we identified the need for follow-up advocacy on Enabling a Safe Reopening, particularly related to clarifying priority groups, advocating for a private sector role in supporting distribution of vaccines, and supporting a reduction in quarantine time for vaccinated individuals.
At our May 21 Ag Committee meeting, we discussed the need for additional advocacy to eliminate tariffs on certain raw materials to promote feed and livestock production, manage Vietnamese import restrictions on grains where harmful grasses have been detected, seek tariff reductions on U.S. pork exports, and facilitate a discussion with Vietnamese authorities on scientific findings related to Glyphosate.
If you have interest in contributing to these initiatives or any other advocacy matters that require AmCham support, please contact relevant Committee leaders and/or [email protected].
Advocacy Updated on May 16, 2021
AmCham Vietnam, KOCHAM, and JCCH agreed to partner on advocacy on Work Permits for Foreigners and Enabling a Safe Reopening. The Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) submitted comments on the New Draft Insurance Law, coordinated by AmCham’s joint VBF & Legal Committee. The VBF Power & Energy Working Group submitted comments on the new draft circular on Direct Power Purchase Agreements. F&B Committee draft position papers to Customs and MOST on inspection and labeling issues are being reviewed by AmCham’s Advocacy Panel now.
AmCham’s F&B Committee has prepared a draft position paper for Vietnam Customs commenting on the Draft Decree on State Inspection and Food Safety Inspection. It has also prepared a draft position paper on the Draft Decree amending Decree 43/2017/ND-CP on goods labeling to submit to the Ministry of Science and Technology by May 18. Both position papers now are being reviewed by AmCham’s Advocacy Panel.
AmCham’s F&B Committee recently co-hosted with Food Industry Asia (FIA) an event announcing a report on the Economic Impact of the Food Industry in Vietnam, conducted by Oxford Economics under the commission of FIA. The F&B Committee also held a virtual meeting on May 13 to brief U.S. Mission Vietnam officials on concerns relating to a possible new tax on sugary beverages.
The Vietnam Business Forum submitted comments on May 7th on the New Draft Insurance Business Law to the Ministry of Finance, based in large part on comments provided by AmCham’s joint VBF & Legal Committee. The VBF Power and Energy Working Group submitted comments to MOIT on the new draft circular on Direct Power Purchase Agreements on April 27th.
If you are an AmCham member and are interested in more information about the advocacy issues discussed above or have other policy advocacy matters that require AmCham support, please contact relevant Committee leaders and/or [email protected].