Read The Diplomat, Know The Asia-Pacific
Hanoi is now the subject of three separate U.S. trade probes, which will likely introduce new areas of tension into ongoing trade talks.
Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry yesterday pushed back on the U.S. government’s claim that it had failed to combat the trade in goods made with forced labor, saying that Washington’s determination did not reflect the government’s efforts.
Vietnam is among 60 nations that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) threatened this week with tariffs of 10-12.5 percent due to their alleged failures to take action on forced labor.
Speaking at a regular press briefing in Hanoi, Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang stated that “the conclusions of the investigation into forced labor practices by the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office do not accurately reflect the reality and Vietnam’s efforts in preventing, mitigating, and reducing forced labor,” Vietnamese state media reported.
