Hanoi, May 2, 2026 – The Europe Today: Việtnam on Friday urged the United States to provide an objective and balanced assessment of the country’s efforts and achievements in intellectual property (IP) protection, following Washington’s designation of Việtnam as a “Priority Foreign Country” in its latest annual report on global IP protection and enforcement.
Responding to a media query on Việt Nam’s reaction to the designation, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng said Việt Nam has made substantial progress in strengthening intellectual property protection in recent years.
She noted that these efforts include the continued improvement of the legal framework, increased public awareness, enhanced enforcement measures, and expanded international cooperation with partners such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United States, and other countries.
“Việt Nam has also taken firm action against violations of intellectual property rights. This remains both a high priority and a consistent policy of Việt Nam to build a healthy, transparent business environment and to advance its growth model with science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation as key drivers,” she stressed.
The spokesperson further stated that Việt Nam has been cooperating actively and effectively with the United States in this field and remains ready to share information and clarify its policies and regulations. She expressed confidence that both sides should continue close coordination to appropriately address differences in the interest of mutual benefit and to promote a stable, balanced, and sustainable framework for economic and trade relations.
The US Trade Representative’s designation of Việt Nam as a “Priority Foreign Country” reportedly marks the first such classification in over a decade. According to the report, the US may decide within 30 days whether to initiate a Section 301 investigation, while also seeking consultations with Hà Nội to resolve outstanding issues.
