Top leader To Lam’s upcoming visit to U.S. to strengthen confidence, create new opportunities

In a recent interview with VGP, Gillin said, this visit comes at an important moment for a relationship that has grown remarkably quickly. Viet Nam–U.S. goods and services trade reached an estimated US$215 billion in 2025, up nearly 40 percent in just one year.

The U.S. is Viet Nam's largest export market, while Viet Nam has become an increasingly important manufacturing and supply-chain partner for American companies, he said, adding that the challenge now is to make the relationship more balanced and sustainable.

"We hope the visit can strengthen confidence on both sides, address outstanding trade issues, and create new opportunities for U.S. exports and investment in technology, energy, aviation, agriculture and advanced manufacturing. A stronger commercial relationship will also reinforce the broader Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and create benefits for businesses, workers and consumers in both countries", emphasized AmCham Chairman.

According to Gillin, the U.S. business community is looking for greater certainty and a clear signal that Viet Nam continues to welcome long-term American investment.

The Southeast Asian nation has attracted more than US$40 billion in registered foreign investment during the first eight months of 2026, demonstrating the continued strength of investor interest. Continued improvements in the business environment will be important in supporting the next phase of investment.

He expressed his hope the visit will contribute to a stable and predictable trade relationship, while supporting further progress on regulatory transparency, intellectual property protection, customs procedures and market access.

Gillin expected that the discussions at the leadership level will translate into practical progress, giving U.S. companies even greater confidence to expand their investments and operations in Viet Nam.

New pillars of Viet Nam-U.S. economic relations

Regarding the new pillars of Viet Nam-U.S. economic relations, Gillin highlighted particularly strong potential in semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, AI and the digital economy, energy, aviation and infrastructure.

American companies already provide a strong foundation: Intel has invested more than US$1.5 billion in Viet Nam, while Amkor has committed approximately US$1.6 billion to its semiconductor facility. Earlier this year, Vietnamese airlines also announced agreements worth roughly US$30 billion involving 90 Boeing aircraft.

These are significant examples of what is possible, stated the AmCham Chairman.

To generate the next wave of projects, Viet Nam needs predictable regulations, faster approvals, reliable energy, stronger infrastructure and access to skilled talent, he suggested.

The priority after the visit should be implementation, turning agreements and discussions into operating investments that create jobs, transfer technology and deepen Viet Nam's participation in global supply chains, he added.

Gillin said, U.S. companies can be important partners as Viet Nam moves from technology assembly toward higher-value activities such as R&D, semiconductor design and packaging, cloud computing, AI and advanced digital services.

Viet Nam has set an ambitious goal for the digital economy to account for 30 percent of GDP by 2030, and American companies bring technology, capital, global supply chains and experience developing skilled workforces. Companies including Intel, Amkor, Qualcomm, Synopsys and Marvell already have operations in Viet Nam.

The next step is creating conditions that encourage them and others to expand: strong intellectual property protection, trusted cross-border data flows, technology-neutral regulation, modern digital infrastructure and a workforce equipped for increasingly sophisticated jobs. This can help Viet Nam capture more value domestically rather than simply serving as a manufacturing location, shared AmCham Chairman./.