Local production needs protection
Vietnam should actively apply trade defence instruments to protect domestic production in accordance with World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations to ensure healthy competition.
According to Dinh Thi My Loan, chairwoman of the Advisory Board on International Trade Defence under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, only a few Vietnamese enterprises have used trade defence mechanisms since the legal framework for them was established ten years ago.
Loan said the application of trade defence mechanisms is becoming common in developing countries with struggling economies. Some of Vietnam’s top five imports had been subject to lawsuits in others markets, she wanted.
China, the Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia and the US are among the top ten exporters in the world, but they also have the most anti-dumping and anti-subsidy lawsuits against them, Loan pointed out, saying that Vietnam imports huge volumes of products from these markets.
Le Sy Giang from the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Competition Authority said his organisation will provide support to help enterprises handle documents for anti-dumping suits, stressing that careful preparations for arguments are critical.
A representative from the Government Inspectorate said that enterprises need support from State management agencies such as the General Statistics Office and the General Department of Customs for figures and information to prepare for their suits.
However, accessing information from these agencies remains difficult.
In many countries, governments have clear mechanisms for companies to access information about import volumes, prices and market share changes that can be used to develop defence mechanisms.
Experts urged enterprises to increase their understanding and awareness of the WTO’s trade defence laws.
Trade defence mechanisms include anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safe-guarding measures.