Vietnam Takes Action Against Export Fraud Amid US Tariff Concerns
According to a document reviewed by Reuters, Vietnam's trade ministry has issued a directive to combat illegal transshipment of goods to the United States and other trading partners. The directive is intended to avoid steep U.S. tariffs. The directive, dated and effective April 15, warned that trade fraud is likely to increase amid growing tensions caused by U.S. tariffs. This would make it "more complicated to avoid sanctions that countries will apply to imported goods" if fraud is not prevented. While the directive did not specifically name any countries where transshipment fraud might originate, Vietnam's imports from China account for nearly 40% of its total, and Washington has openly accused Beijing of using Vietnam as a transshipment hub to evade U.S. duties. Vietnam faces potential 46% "reciprocal" tariffs from the Trump administration, currently paused until July. If implemented, these tariffs […]