The deal with Vietnam seeks to stop Chinese-made goods from transiting through the southeast Asian country to avoid higher duties.

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.

Vietnam on Thursday hailed as a breakthrough a long-awaited trade deal with the United States and said its negotiators were coordinating with U.S. counterparts to formalise terms with Washington,