Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade targets 50 export goods for trade defense

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued official notice regarding 50 export categories at high risk of being subject to trade defense investigations, origin fraud, and illegal transshipment. The list spans seven major industrial sectors, including wood and wood products, iron, steel, metal manufacturing, construction materials, processed industrial products, chemicals, plastics, fibers, and textiles.

Key sectors such as wooden furniture and steel are central to the monitoring efforts. This heightened scrutiny follows rapid export growth and significant market share gains in key regions. For instance, Vietnamese wooden upholstered chairs accounted for 61.6% of the US market share in this segment during the first seven months of 2026. Similarly, rubber tires exported to the EU reached a 19.2% market share, making Vietnam the second largest supplier.

Authorities suspect that some rapid growth may stem from processing semi-finished goods or raw materials from countries facing high anti-dumping or countervailing duties, such as China, to circumvent trade barriers. Consequently, Customs departments have been directed to tighten controls at border gates to identify these risks.