Import and export activities at Son Duong - Vung Ang port cluster (Ha Tinh). Photo: H.Nu

Although Vietnam's export of goods has improved in recent times and there is a lot of room for market expansion, there are still many major challenges, including countries conducting investigations and applying trade defense measures against Vietnam's exports.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, there have been two hundred and seventy trade defense investigations from twenty five markets and territories investigating Vietnam's exports.

Of these, the leading cases are anti-dumping investigations (one hundred and forty eight cases), followed by self-defense cases (fifty four cases), anti-circumvention of trade defense measures (thirty eight cases) and anti-subsidy cases (thirty cases).

In 2024 alone, out of twenty eight trade defense cases initiated by foreign countries investigating Vietnam's newly-arrived export goods from twelve markets, thirteen cases are from the US market.

The European-American Market Department said that the United States is the country that applies the most trade defense measures against Vietnamese exports, including anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations, focusing on key export items such as wooden furniture, seafood, textiles, footwear, etc.

The investigations determine whether these products are subsidized by the government or sold at a price lower than their actual value, causing damage to the US manufacturing industry.

In addition, the United States also tightens regulations to prevent transshipment and fraudulent origin for profit.

In addition to the investigations, the United States also requires strict standards for imported agricultural and aquatic products. The United States changes the annual review process to increase transparency and efficiency in implementing trade defense measures, creating greater pressure on Vietnamese exporting enterprises.

In that situation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has promptly completed the investigation of a number of trade defense cases initiated in 2023 and reviewed the application of trade defense measures that require handling in 2024.

With the active participation of businesses, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has supported in providing information and instructions for answering the questionnaire; researching arguments at specific stages of each case; at the same time, researching conclusions and sending consultation letters to foreign investigation agencies.

In the last month of each quarter, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has updated the list of warnings of goods at risk of being investigated for trade defense and anti-circumvention of trade defense and sent them to ministries, branches, provincial People's Committees, associations, and related businesses for coordination and monitoring.

The work of early warning as well as supporting businesses in responding to trade defense cases initiated by foreign countries investigating Vietnamese export goods in recent times has brought about some positive results.

As a result, exporting enterprises are not subject to trade defense taxes or are subject to low taxes, contributing to maintaining and expanding export markets.

In addition to responding to trade defense cases applied by foreign countries to Vietnamese export goods, in the context of many imported goods showing signs of dumping or being subsidized, causing serious damage to a number of domestic manufacturing industries, the work of initiating lawsuits, investigating, and applying trade defense measures continues to be strengthened.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has initiated investigations into thirty trade defense cases and applied twenty two measures to imported goods; there are currently sixteen trade defense measures in effect.

In 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to investigate and review seven cases initiated in 2023; initiate investigations into three new cases, initiate reviews of three end-of-term reviews; received and processed seven new investigation and review applications.

The implementation of these solutions aims to create an equal competitive environment and legally protect domestic manufacturing industries.