Embassy of the United States

Economic Counselor: Ms. Laura Stone

Economic Office Staff and their Portfolios

The Economic Office is responsible for the conduct of economic diplomacy between the U.S. and Vietnam, and reports on key economic developments with an emphasis on U.S. business interests. The section is headed by Economic Counselor Jessica Webster. For further information, please email the Economic Office at the email address below and the correct officer will get back to you at their earliest convenience.

Email address: EconVietnam@state.gov

General Information On Vietnam
    • Background Note: Vietnam
    • General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO)

Key Economic Reports
    • 2011 Investment Climate Statement
    • 2011 Country Commercial Guide (PDF, 1.5MB)
    • 2010 Human Rights Report (Section 7: Workers Rights)
    • 2011 Special 301 Report
    • 2012 National Trade Estimate Report

Trade & Investment
    • Trade Balance with Vietnam
    • Office of the United States Trade Representative (Vietnam page)
    • Bilateral Trade Agreement
    • Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
    • Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with Vietnam  (PDF, 135KB)
    • Bilateral Investment Treaty with Vietnam (BIT)

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
    • IPR Toolkit Vietnam  
    • BTA - Chapter II: Intellectual Property Rights
    • U.S.-Vietnam Copyright Agreement
    • Stop Fakes: Protecting Intellectual Property Rights
    • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) homepage
    • Motion Picture Association website
    • International Intellectual Property Alliance website
    • Business Software Alliance

Export Promotion
    • Foreign Commercial Service (Vietnam page)
    • Foreign Agricultural Service (Vietnam page)
    • Export.gov

Export Controls and Sanctions
    • U.S. Economic Sanctions
    • Export Control

Aviation

    • Plurilateral Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft on the WTO Website
    • Aviation Safety Connection

State Department Offices
    • Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs
    • Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs

Other U.S. Government Departments and Economic Organizations
    • Department of Commerce
    • Department of Energy
    • Department of the Treasury
    • Department of Labor
    • Department of Agriculture
    • White House - National Economic Council
    • White House - Council of Economic Advisers
    • Millennium Challenge Corp
    • Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  
    • U.S. Trade and Development Agency
    • Overseas Private Investment Corporation
    • Export-Import Bank of the United States
    • U.S. International Trade Commission
    • Internal Revenue Service
    • Federal Communications Commission
    • Patent and Trademark Office
    • International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
    • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
    • Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Other U.S. Government Agencies  

Economic policy in the United States is developed by a wide range of Cabinet-level departments and independent agencies. The National Economic Council, part of the Executive Office of the President, coordinates the nation's economic policy under the President.  

The Department of State staffs the Economic Sections of U.S. Embassies around the world and plays a coordinating role in developing international aspects of American economic policy.  

The Department of the Treasury has primary responsibility for the United States' international economic policy, particularly in the field of financial and fiscal policy. The Treasury Department also develops tax policy, manages the country's debt and regulates parts of the financial system. The Internal Revenue Service, and the Comptroller of the Currency both fall under the Treasury Department.  The U.S. Customs Service is now U.S. Customs and Border Protection and falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The U.S. Secret Service also falls under the DHS.

The United States Secret Service protects the President and other high-level officials and investigates counterfeiting and other financial crimes, including financial institution fraud, identity theft, computer fraud; and computer-based attacks on our nation’s financial, banking, and telecommunications infrastructure.

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for protecting our nation’s borders in order to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),  the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for identifying and shutting down vulnerabilities in the nation’s border, economic, transportation and infrastructure security.

The Department of Commerce is responsible for a wide range of economic policy functions, including the implementation of anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws, the licensing of sensitive exports, and the promotion of American exports. The Commercial Service promotes American exports and assists American businesses through offices throughout the United States and in U.S. Embassies overseas.  

The Department of Agriculture works to ensure a safe, affordable, nutritious and accessible food supply, to expand global markets for agricultural and forest products, and to reduce hunger in America and around the world.

The Department of Labor works with employers and workers to ensure appropriate wages, safe work places, and equal employment opportunities.  The Department also publishes a wide range of wage, labor and other economic statistics.

The Department of Energy is a leading science and technology agency whose research supports U.S. energy security, national security, and environmental quality.  The DOE also houses the Energy Information Administration, an independent agency which collects, analyzes and publishes a wide range of U.S. and international energy statistics.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for ensuring the efficiency, safety and reliability of the U.S. transportation infrastructure.  DOT houses organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The U.S. Coast Guard once fell under the DOT but is now under the authority of the DHS.

The United States Trade Representative serves as the President's principal advisor, negotiator and spokesman on trade, commodity and direct investment policy.  USTR chairs the Trade Policy Review Group to coordinate U.S. Government positions on international trade and trade-related investment issues.

The Federal Communications Commission's task is to encourage competition in all communications markets and to protect the public interest.  The FCC develops and implements policies concerning interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable.

The International Trade Commission supports both the Administrative and Legislative branches of the U.S. government by determining the impact of imports on U.S. industries and directing actions against unfair trade practices.  ITC also updates and publishes the Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States.

The Patent and Trade Office administers U.S. patent and trademark laws, and also advises the administration on trade related aspects of domestic and international intellectual property rights protection.