President Donald Trump said he had reached a trade deal with Vietnam following weeks of intense diplomacy between the nations and ahead of a deadline next week that would have seen higher tariffs imposed on the country’s imports.

The tariff deal between the United States and Vietnam sets the stage for a further climb in trade volumes between the countries and will also impact the energy generation mix that powers the fast-growing Vietnamese economy.

Many Chinese manufacturers now plan to continue operating in Vietnam, after the US agreed to lower its tariffs on the country’s goods to 20 per cent.