Pakistan and Vietnam have agreed to begin negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) within this year, aiming to boost trade flows between the two countries. The decision was made during the 5th Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting held in Hanoi on Friday, marking the first session of its kind in eight years.
The meeting was co-chaired by Nasir Hamid, Additional Secretary of Commerce, and Phan Thi Thang, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade. Senior ministers from both sides, Jam Kamal Khan and Nguyen Hong Dien, formally witnessed the signing of the meeting’s agreed minutes. Officials discussed deeper cooperation in key sectors such as textiles, fisheries, Halal certification, banking, civil aviation, and healthcare.
The committee emphasized building stronger business-to-business ties, removing trade barriers, and pursuing long-term economic collaboration. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to unlocking untapped trade potential and creating smoother trade routes through preferential tariffs and reduced duties.
In a separate bilateral meeting, Pakistan’s commerce minister Jam Kamal Khan highlighted Pakistan’s strategic role as a gateway to Central Asia and the Middle East, offering Vietnam access via regional connectivity projects. Vietnam’s Minister Nguyen Hong Dien expressed interest in expanding imports of Pakistani rice, leather, and textiles, and welcomed Pakistani investment in Vietnam’s manufacturing and tech sectors.
The high-level engagement signals a renewed focus on economic diplomacy between Pakistan and Vietnam. With PTA talks on the horizon, both nations aim to boost bilateral trade volume and lay the foundation for a lasting economic partnership grounded in mutual benefit and regional integration.