Responding to questions regarding Vietnam’s inclusion in the United States’ 2026 Special 301 Report and its placement on a high-level intellectual property watch list, Pham Thu Hang said Vietnam had already issued an official response on May 1.

She stressed that Vietnam will continue to strictly handle all acts of intellectual property infringement while strengthening intellectual property protection and enforcement.

According to the spokeswoman, Vietnam’s legal framework on intellectual property has been continuously improved and harmonized, from the 2005 Intellectual Property Law to subsequent amendments, including the revised law adopted in 2025.

“The legal framework has become increasingly comprehensive, modern and aligned with domestic development needs as well as commitments under new-generation free trade agreements to which Vietnam is a party,”  the official emphasized.

Hang cited data from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), noting that Vietnam ranked 44th out of 139 countries and economies in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, placing it among ASEAN’s stronger performers in innovation.

Alongside legal reforms, the Vietnamese Government has issued numerous directives to solidify intellectual property enforcement and combat smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations.

These include Directive No. 02 dated January 30, 2026 by the Prime Minister on strengthening intellectual property enforcement, a program on combating counterfeit goods and protecting consumers in e-commerce through 2025, as well as several directives and official dispatches issued during intensified enforcement periods in 2025.

Most recently, on May 5, the Prime Minister issued Official Dispatch No. 38 calling for stronger measures to prevent and handle intellectual property violations.

According to her, these measures demonstrate Vietnam’s consistent policy of strengthening intellectual property protection and enforcement while supporting sustainable development goals, efforts to build a healthy business and investment environment, and the effective implementation of international commitments.

She added that Vietnamese relevant agencies handled thousands of intellectual property infringement cases in 2025.

Market surveillance forces alone handled 3,306 violations in traditional markets and 599 cases involving e-commerce and social media platforms. More than 1,200 websites suspected of infringing copyright and related rights were also blocked.

“The number of criminal cases prosecuted and brought to trial over intellectual property violations increased compared with the previous year. Customs authorities also detected and handled many high-value cases involving counterfeit goods and goods infringing intellectual property rights,” Hang went on.

She also said that alongside the efforts of the Vietnamese Government, rights holders, cross-border platform providers and related parties need to assume greater responsibility in reviewing, removing and handling content, goods and services suspected of infringing intellectual property rights.

According to Pham Thu Hang, Vietnam is ready to share information and clarify policies and regulations with international partners, including the United States, in order to properly resolve differences and augment international cooperation in intellectual property.

Vietnam urges objective US assessment of intellectual property protection efforts

VOV.VN - Vietnam has called on the United States to provide an objective and balanced assessment of its intellectual property (IP) protection efforts after Washington designated the country as a “priority foreign country” in its latest annual report on global IP protection and enforcement.