Deputy Director of the Department of Trade Defense (Ministry of Industry and Trade) Chu Thang Trung:

In that context, trade defense has played the role of a “shield” to stabilize the market and support businesses to boost exports. Hanoi Moi Newspaper reporter had an interview with Chu Thang Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Trade Defense ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) about this content.

Increasing in quantity, complex in nature

- Can you tell us the total number of trade defense cases that Vietnam has faced up to mid-2025 and the problems that have arisen with Vietnam's export goods?

- As of mid-2025, Vietnam has faced more than 291 trade defense cases from export markets around the world . In the first 6 months of 2025 alone, Vietnamese export goods faced 14 newly initiated foreign trade defense cases, arising from 9 markets (an increase of 1 case compared to the same period in 2024). The United States is still the country with the most investigations with 6 cases.

In addition to new cases, the Government , industry associations and Vietnamese enterprises continue to have to deal with more than 100 cases from previous years that are under investigation and review for application of measures. For example, there are measures that have been applied for more than 20 years, such as the US anti-dumping tax on tra, basa fish and warm-water shrimp, which are still reviewed annually.

In recent years, investigations have not only increased in number, but have also become more complex as many countries investigate new and unprecedented content. Along with that, the products under investigation are increasingly diverse. These cases have caused many challenges for Vietnam's export goods, especially the risk of losing market share in key markets, increasing legal costs and affecting the reputation of businesses. In addition, trade defense measures also force Vietnamese businesses to improve their competitiveness, improve product quality and be more transparent in production and business activities. This requires close coordination between businesses, industry associations and state management agencies in monitoring, responding promptly and building sustainable export strategies.

- What specific solutions have we had to prevent imported goods from engaging in unfair competition to protect domestic production, sir?

- Up to now, Vietnam has signed and participated in 17 free trade agreements, gradually reducing the average import tax rate on imported goods. We can do this because the production capacity of the Vietnamese economy is growing, Vietnamese enterprises are completely confident to compete equally with foreign enterprises in the Vietnamese market. However, some imported goods, because they cannot compete with Vietnamese goods, have engaged in unfair competition such as dumping to gain market share and weaken the position of Vietnamese enterprises.

To deal with this situation, we have trade defense tools to investigate, apply trade defense measures, restore a fair competitive environment and protect domestic production. Up to now, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has initiated investigations into 59 trade defense cases and 31 trade defense measures are still in effect. These measures have brought practical benefits, protecting and facilitating the formation and development of a number of basic industries, construction industries, and consumer industries such as metallurgy, chemicals, construction materials, and agricultural processing.

The annual revenue of enterprises protected by trade defense measures is estimated at nearly VND500,000 billion with over 36,000 direct workers and hundreds of thousands of indirect workers, ensuring economic security and social security in provinces and cities across the country.

Building brand, creating trust with partners

- In your opinion, what challenges will trade defense continue to pose in the coming time?

- Trade defense measures such as anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and self-defense, and anti-circumvention of trade defense measures will require careful research and in-depth analysis to ensure compliance with the regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as well as free trade agreements that Vietnam participates in. At the same time, the increase in trade defense cases from international partners will require Vietnamese enterprises to improve their legal capacity, improve product quality and transparency in production and business activities. In addition, responding to rapid changes in global trade policy, especially new protectionist trends, will also create great pressure on state management agencies and the business community.

Therefore, to overcome these challenges, close coordination among relevant parties is needed to develop an effective trade defense strategy, while enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods in the international market.

- Can you tell us what new and focused solutions are being implemented by the Trade Defense Department to improve trade defense capacity in 2025?

- Solutions to improve trade defense capacity being implemented by the Department include: Strengthening research and forecasting of global trade trends to promptly identify potential risks; promoting in-depth training for staff on skills to handle trade defense cases; building a modern database system, integrating information on trade defense measures of countries and strengthening international cooperation to exchange experiences and improve response capacity.

At the same time, the Department will focus on disseminating knowledge about trade defense to the business community, in order to be more proactive in protecting legitimate rights. These solutions not only aim to strengthen internal strength, but also ensure that Vietnam maintains a solid position in the international arena in the context of increasingly deep integration.

- In your opinion, in the context of increasingly complex legal and trade barriers, what do Vietnamese businesses need to prepare to respond and maintain market share, while expanding the market?

- Vietnamese enterprises need to proactively improve their competitiveness by investing in product research and development, ensuring quality according to international standards, and further increasing the value-added content of their products. At the same time, regularly updating legal regulations and trade policies of foreign markets is a key factor in minimizing risks and avoiding violations. Enterprises also need to build a team of legal and trade experts to support in analyzing, evaluating and developing effective response strategies.

In addition, strengthening cooperation with international partners, participating in industry associations and taking advantage of free trade agreements will help businesses expand opportunities to access new markets. Investing in technology and digitizing production and business processes is also an important factor for businesses to optimize costs, improve efficiency and meet the increasing needs of customers. Finally, building a strong brand, creating trust with partners and customers through transparency and long-term commitment will help Vietnamese businesses not only maintain market share but also reach further in the international market.

Thank you very much!

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/pho-cuc-truong-cuc-phong-ve-thuong-mai-bo-cong-thuong-chu-thang-trung-gia-tang-phong-ve-thuong-mai-hang-hoa-viet-doi-mat-nhieu-thach-thuc-712058.html