Vietnam Tightens Rules on Online Piracy to Dodge US Tariffs

Vietnam is stepping up its fight against digital piracy and fake goods, aiming to spot more violations before the United States threatens new trade barriers. The government announced a plan that should raise detection rates by 20% in the next month, with customs officials expected to halt more shipments that prove counterfeit. The move comes after Washington labeled Vietnam a major IP offender, warning of possible tariff investigations by the end of May.

Trade Balance Stakes

Vietnam enjoys a huge surplus with the US, even larger than its trade with China for the year so far. Yet the U.S. is pressing Hanoi to fix intellectual property problems that hurt American products.

• Last year: 46% duty on imports from the US, lowered to 20% and then 10% after court rulings.
• U.S. trade office: Named Vietnam a top priority for IP violations, the first time in 13 years.

Presidential Directive

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung issued directives to ministries on Thursday:

• Customs: Stop more shipments that clearly contain counterfeit goods; increase the number of cases processed by 20% compared with last year.
• Enforcement: Raise the same rise in enforcement of copyright infringements across software, movies, music, TV shows, online games and local counterfeit sales.

Broad Authority Under One‑Party System

Vietnam operates under a one‑party system where prosecutors and police have broad authority. A similar crackdown was launched last year following the U.S. tariff announcement. The new rules expand that effort to cover a wider range of IP violations, from digital media to physical products. The government claims it has made serious strides in protecting intellectual property and calls for a fair review by Washington.

High Stakes

If the U.S. follows through on its threats, Vietnam could face higher trade barriers that would hurt its exports to the U.S. The country is trying to avoid that outcome by tightening enforcement, hoping to show the U.S. it can meet international IP standards and keep its trade surplus intact.