Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam strictly prohibits all forms of forced labour and fully complies with the regulations of the International Labour Organisation, international treaties and free trade agreements to which it is a party, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng.

Responding to reporters' questions regarding the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s decision to impose a new 12.5 per cent tariff on goods from all economies under investigation pursuant to Section 301, Hằng said that the Vietnamese Government had issued Decree 292/2026/NĐ-CP on July 22 to ban the import of goods extracted or manufactured wholly or partly through forced labour.

"The USTR's decision fails to fully reflect the realities on the ground and Việt Nam's efforts to prevent, reduce and eliminate forced labour, including its ban on imports of goods produced with forced labour," she said.

Việt Nam would continue working with the US in a constructive and cooperative spirit, she added.

Hằng urged the US side to fully take into account the measures Việt Nam has adopted when adjusting tariffs on Vietnamese goods, consistent with the actual situation and the country's ongoing legislative and enforcement push.

Earlier, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung, in his meeting with US Secretary Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Manila on July 23, called on Washington to conclude its Section 301 investigation with findings that fully reflect Việt Nam's efforts and are consistent with the US policy of supporting a strong, independent, self-reliant and prosperous Việt Nam.

Minister Trung also reaffirmed that Việt Nam remains committed to creating favourable conditions for US businesses to invest and operate in the country, highlighting ongoing legal reforms aimed at improving transparency, modernising the regulatory framework and enhancing the investment environment.

The US diplomat described economic and trade cooperation as the cornerstone of bilateral relations and expressed hope that both countries would soon reach a high-standard, reciprocal, fair and balanced trade agreement that would create new economic opportunities and jobs for both sides.

Earlier, US  Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, under the direction of President Trump, finalised Section 301 tariffs targeting 60 trading partners to address forced labour in global supply chains. The measure covers the top 60 US trading partners – including Việt Nam, the European Union, Singapore, China, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, among several others – representing 99.4 per cent of US imports.

A 10 per cent tariff rate is applied to countries that the US deemed to have committed to enacting and effectively enforcing import bans on goods made with forced labour. A 12.5 per cent rate is applied for partners that have failed to adopt such measures. — VNS