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. — VNA/VNS