Vietnam Speaks Out on New US 12.5% Tariff

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the new 12.5% tariff imposed by the United States under Section 301 fails to fully reflect Vietnam’s efforts to prevent and minimize forced labor.

On July 25, 2026, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Pham Thu Hang responded to reporters’ questions regarding Vietnam’s position on the United States Trade Representative (USTR) imposing a new 12.5% tariff on goods from all “investigated” economies under Section 301.

She emphasized that the USTR decision does not fully accurately reflect the reality or the proactive efforts of Vietnam in preventing, reducing, and eliminating forced labor, which includes prohibiting the importation of products made with forced labor.

Furthermore, Vietnam strictly prohibits all forms of forced labor and scrupulously complies with regulations of the International Labour Organization (ILO), international treaties, and free trade agreements to which Vietnam is a party. Most recently, on July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP, which explicitly bans the importation of goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced labor.

Consequently, Vietnam will continue to engage and work with the United States in a constructive and cooperative spirit. Moving forward, Vietnam requests that the United States fully evaluate the measures Vietnam has implemented to adjust the applied tariff rate on Vietnamese goods in accordance with reality, as well as Vietnam’s law-making and enforcement efforts.