Trump also said he didn’t see the need to say he’d “play hardball” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and that during discussions he wouldn’t raise COVID-19.

Vietnam is seeking to speed up its negotiations for new free trade agreements while more effectively exploiting the 17 ones it has already signed, as its export-reliant economy is bracing for U.S. tariffs.

The White House has 78 days to negotiate trade agreements with at least 57 countries to avoid imposing the "reciprocal" tariffs it announced at the beginning of April.