Vietnam to Crack Down on Online Piracy and Counterfeit Goods in Response to US Import Tariff Pressure

The Vietnamese government will tighten enforcement against online piracy and the distribution of counterfeit goods starting on Thursday (7/5/2026). This step emerges in the wake of spotlight from the United States regarding intellectual property rights violations. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung issued direct instructions. The target for increasing detection of violations is set at up to 20%. The instructions were conveyed through the official government portal on Tuesday. Ministries are requested to strengthen handling of violations across various sectors. The Ministry of Finance has been assigned additional tasks. Surveillance at borders must be tightened. “Ensure that the number of customs procedure suspension cases and subsequent processing increases by at least 20% compared to May 2025.” Surveillance is focused on imported goods with strong indications of being counterfeit products. Pressure from the United States is the primary factor. Washington has highlighted Vietnam’s “ongoing failures” in addressing intellectual property rights violations. The administration of President Donald Trump has opened options for new tariff investigations at the end of May. Vietnam is even named as one of the worst violators in the latest report. The value of exports to the US reached US$153 billion or approximately Rp2,662 trillion in 2025. This figure is based on an exchange rate of Rp17,405 per US dollar. Vietnam’s dependence on imports is also high. Imports from China reached US$186 billion or approximately Rp3,237 trillion.