Vietnam's trade minister spoke to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer by phone on Wednesday, state-run media reported, kicking off trade talks as whopping 46% U.S. tariffs loom, threatening growth in Southeast Asia's industrial hub.

Vietnam and the US officially kicked off talks over the Trump administration’s threatened 46% tariff on goods from the Southeast Asian nation, which is racing to take advantage of a 90-day reprieve on the levy.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Vietnamese Industry and Trade Minister Nguyen Hong Dien discussed enhancing reciprocal trade. They agreed to engage their teams in discussions focused on expanding market access and addressing unfair trade practices,