 A batch of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the US via Covax arrives at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, July 10, 2021. (Photo by the US Embassy in Hanoi) |
In a letter sent to the US President, the CEOs of companies like, Coach, Gap, Nike, and Under Amour have emphasized that Vietnam is an important economic and supply chain partner of the US.
Vietnam is now the second largest supplier of apparel, footwear, and travel goods to the US market, the letter says, adding that Vietnam has become a major supplier of crucial inputs for America’s small but important footwear manufacturing industry.
It said about 3 million US workers are connected - through the value chains - to many millions more in Vietnam.
The CEOs asked President Biden to donate more vaccines and other materials to help keep Vietnam on a strong footing so it can quickly recover, noting that the crisis of their employees in Vietnam is also their crisis.
The US Government has so far given 5 million doses of Moderna vaccines to Vietnam through the global vaccine mechanism Covax.