US, Vietnam firms to sign agreements as To Lam travels to New York, documents show

Hanoi, September 16 - A series of agreements between U.S. and Vietnamese corporations are expected to be announced next week, according to officials and two documents reviewed by Reuters. The agreements, many of which are non-binding, are part of Vietnam's strategy to appease Washington as the Trump administration threatens new tariffs on the export-reliant Southeast Asian nation.

The agreements are scheduled to be revealed during a business conference in New York on September 23, attended by Vietnamese leader To Lam. Energy firms Murphy Oil and Chevron are expected to make deals with state-owned Petrovietnam, while ExxonMobil is set to announce a pact with Vietnam Refinery and Petrochemical Corporation, the country's second-largest refinery.

Other sectors set to see agreements include aviation, technology, and finance. Vietjet, Vietnam's largest private airline, is expected to announce the leasing of up to 22 planes from four aviation leasing companies, including Boeing and Airbus jets. A contract with SpaceX is also in the works, providing satellite internet services to 120 Vietjet aircraft.

Meta and VNPT, a Vietnamese telecom firm, are also rumored to have agreements in the works. Meanwhile, Visa, Mastercard, and Citibank are expected to announce deals with financial and hospitality partners in Vietnam.

To Lam's visit to New York is also aimed at advancing trade talks with the United States. A meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump is not guaranteed, as his schedule is still uncertain.