Trump Visits Vietnam, Comes Home with $15B in Orders for American Jets
President does not let meeting with Kim Jong-un go to waste
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Just when you thought Presdient Donald Trump was going to come back empty-handed following his recent meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his recent visit to Hanoi, Vietnam proved to be very fruitful after all.
Vietnamese airlines last week signed documents to purchase over $15 billion worth of American passenger jets.
VietJet Aviation and Bamboo Airways signed on on agreements during President Donald Trump’s visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, after his meeting with Kim Jong-un.
Bamboo has agreed to buy ten 787-9 Dreamliners, totaling to massive $3 billion.
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VietJet also signed an agreement confirming its intention to purchase one hundred 737 Max planes in a deal worth around $12.7 billion, according to the Chicago Tribune.
General Electric Co. signed a $5.3 billion deal with VietJet allowing it service engines for 200 Boeing 737 Max aircraft that have also been bought.
Trump insisted that the recent purchase are a sign there are 'positive' partnerships between the two nations.
“And I know today, whether it’s Boeing and a couple of others, we’re going to be signing some very big trade deals where you’re buying a lot of different products from the United States, which we greatly appreciate. We’re reducing the deficit very substantially, as are many countries. But I very much appreciate the hospitality,” Trump said at the White House media pool report said.
Trump made a “buy American” pitch to Vietnamese leaders while in Hanoi.
“I really appreciate the orders that you made today of Boeing and General Electric, and the various other companies that will be selling you aircraft. I also appreciate the fact that you’re looking at much of our military equipment,” Trump told Vietnamese officials.
“We make the best military equipment in the world, by far. Whether it’s jet fighters or missiles or rockets, or anything you want to name, we make — we’re acknowledged to have made — we make the best."
"So I appreciate you looking at that very strongly, and I know that’s a decision you’ll make. And we appreciate very much that you’re reducing the trade deficit with the United States, which was very substantial before I got here,” Trump said.
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As air travel in Vietnam expands, Trump has made sure the US is first to capitalize on it.
The US recently certified Vietnam’s air safety system, meaning it can now fly directly to and from the U.S.
“We plan to open routes to cities with Vietnamese communities living in the United States such as in California, serving the large traveling and commercial demand from customers,” VietJet’s vice president To Viet Thang said in a statement, according to Reuters.
Bamboo Airways Chairman Trinh Van Quyet said they were contemplating creating routes to Seattle, Los Angeles or San Francisco
He added that service could start as early as 2020.
Vietnam Airlines, remains quiete on its plans.
“For Vietnam Airlines, launching routes to the U.S. is our political responsibility as a national airline. Whether or not the route is commercially feasible depends on quite a lot on technical issues and aircraft,” the airline said.
Vietnam’s aviation industry is booming demand as the country brought in 12.5 million air passengers last year.
That figure was up 14.4 percent from 2017, the General Statistics Office reported.
Trump also cited immense savings after agreeing to discontinue large-scale Foal Eagle and Key Resolve war games, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.
