The remark was made by Nguyen Thi Thu Trang from the Trade Remedies Council (TRC) under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) at a seminar on the impact of anti-dumping lawsuits on Vietnamese exports held in HCM City on March 11.

2009 saw the highest number of suits lodged against Vietnamese goods in six markets. Investigated products included shoes, rubber shoe soles, plastic bags, DVDs, air- conditioners and rolled steel.

Dr. Peter Koenig, a member of the US Congress’s consultation group said a lawsuit normally lasts from 4-5 years and causes considerable damage to the production sector.

To minimize such lawsuits, Vietnamese businesses should expand export markets, ensure financial transparency and sell products that importers fail to produce, Mr Koenig emphasised.