Intellectual property enforcement vital for Viet Nam’s development

<p style="text-align: justify;">During a working session with Virginia B. Foote, Chairwoman of AmCham Ha Noi, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh discussed issues related to the U.S. Special 301 Report, affirming that Viet Nam proactively protects and enforces intellectual property (IP) rights for the sake of its own national development.</p>

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh stated that the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology respects the assessments made by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Concurrently, he expressed hope that the U.S. side would take a more objective view of Viet Nam’s efforts and practices in IP rights enforcement.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that Viet Nam views the enforcement and protection of IP rights as an imperative task for national growth. He stressed that sustainable development cannot be built on the infringement of intellectual property, and that IP enforcement must be carried out continuously and persistently, rather than through sporadic campaigns.

Over the past years, Viet Nam has proactively implemented numerous measures to enhance the effectiveness of IP protection and enforcement. These include processing the entire backlog of industrial property applications, amending the Law on Intellectual Property, and issuing a directive at the beginning of 2026 that requires ministries, sectors, and localities to strengthen IP rights enforcement.

For her part, Virginia B. Foote recommended that Viet Nam develop a concrete enforcement roadmap that closely addresses the points raised by the USTR in its 301 Report. She also suggested maintaining regular exchanges, providing periodic updates on results, and clearly demonstrating sustained and substantive efforts to handle violations.

The AmCham Hanoi Chairwoman added that the U.S. business community remains keen on maintaining their presence and expanding operations in Viet Nam.

The two sides agreed to continue exchanging and sharing information to promote substantive IP rights enforcement in line with mutual interests./.