Proactive trade defense in the context of integration.

International integration and trade with global markets have helped Vietnam's production develop. However, this process also means the economy will face more instances of trade defense measures imposed by other countries.

Improving product quality and understanding and adapting to the market are proactive solutions that businesses are employing in trade defense. (In the photo: Businesses participating in a furniture industry trade fair in Ho Chi Minh City in August 2025. Photo: illustration)

Proactive adaptation, capacity building, and upgrading development strategies are key for Vietnamese businesses, especially those in the private sector, to both maintain their domestic position and accelerate integration, gradually asserting their position in the global value chain.

Adapt to thrive

As the scale of exports increases, trade protection measures from other countries against Vietnamese goods will continue to escalate. Businesses need to monitor fluctuations in each export sector, maintain complete records and data to proactively respond.

According to Mr. Chu Thang Trung, Deputy Director of the Trade Remedies Department ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), this is inevitable for an economy with strong foreign trade like Vietnam. Successfully resolving international legal cases has helped improve the response capacity of Vietnamese businesses. As a result, Vietnamese export goods are increasingly gaining a firmer foothold in foreign markets, are recognized for their quality, and can compete effectively, putting pressure on goods from importing countries.

PVTM is also a method that most countries around the world use to protect their key industries. For example, US President Donald Trump has recently implemented numerous measures to impose tariffs on goods exported from other countries to the US market.

According to data from the Department of Trade Protection, revenue from trade protection taxes reaches approximately 1.6 trillion VND per year. The total annual revenue of domestic manufacturing enterprises involved in trade protection cases reaches nearly 600 trillion VND, employing more than 56,000 direct workers.

Regarding Vietnam's steel industry specifically, Mr. Le Viet, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Steel Association, stated that from 2004 to August 2025, Vietnamese steel faced 86 anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) lawsuits from foreign countries, accounting for over 30% of the total number of AD/CVD lawsuits against Vietnamese exports.

For businesses, proactively enhancing their capacity to adapt to PVTM measures and tariff barriers imposed by trading partners is crucial.

Mr. Duong Duy Hung, Director of the General Economic Department of the Central Economic Committee, stated that Vietnamese businesses need to shift from processing to creating high value-added products. Only by investing in research and development, improving labor skills, and building brands can businesses in particular, and industries in general, stand firm against global barriers and competition... Currently, many businesses have expanded their markets to the Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe, demonstrating dynamism in seeking new markets. This is considered a necessary strategy to reduce dependence on traditional markets and increase resilience against international trade fluctuations.

Private enterprises play a crucial role in proactive defense.

Along with proactively adapting to global standards, proactive trade protection measures (TPMs) are also a solution to protect businesses and production in the domestic market. According to the TPMs, since its establishment, the department has conducted 48 new investigations and 35 reviews of existing TPMs. Based on this, the TPMs has recommended to the Ministry of Industry and Trade the application of 36 TPMs against imported goods.

Among the trade protection measures, anti-dumping investigations account for the largest proportion. Notably, most of the affected industries belong to Vietnam's foundational industries such as steel and chemicals, which play a pivotal role in the production structure of the country. In particular, private enterprises play a crucial role in proactively implementing trade protection measures. To date, 82 out of 130 enterprises participating in trade protection cases are private enterprises.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Truong Hung, Head of the Damage Investigation and Self-Defense Department of the Trade Protection Agency, stated that the private sector is not only a driving force for economic growth but also a key force in initiating and participating in trade protection measures. This clearly reflects the increasing awareness of private enterprises about the role of trade protection as an effective tool to protect the domestic market before deeper international integration.

Similarly, Nguyen Duy Hung, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Import-Export Association, stated that Dong Nai is one of the top import-export localities in the country. During the production and import-export process, businesses will encounter legal barriers and trade protection measures imposed by other countries on Vietnamese goods. Therefore, businesses' flexible response to these measures, as well as their proactive initiation and participation in defense activities within the domestic market, will contribute to protecting Vietnamese goods and creating a competitive environment for domestic products.

King

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202510/chu-dong-phong-ve-thuong-mai-trong-hoi-nhap-7e4657b/