Vietnam¡¯s trade minister has met with executives from Nike and Walmart as part of a major charm offensive targeting U.S. businesses, aiming to rally support ahead of high-stakes trade negotiations to avoid steep tariffs.

Nguyen Hong Dien called on the companies to "voice their strong support and promote the negotiation process to soon reach a fair, balanced and sustainable agreement,¡± according to a statement on the Vietnamese trade ministry¡¯s website.

Vietnam has engaged in weeks of intense diplomacy with the U.S. ¡ª the largest export market of the trade-reliant country ¡ª as it seeks to avert a threatened 46% tariff, which was later wound back to 10% for 90 days to allow time for talks.