Vietnam

LNT & Partners | English | AcademicThink | Sept. 2, 2025 | UndeterminedTrade Issues and Numbers

On 29 August 2025, LNT & Partners, in collaboration with VCCI – HCM and DLA Piper Singapore, organized the seminar “Vietnam in Focus: ESG Trends and Trade Tactics Amid Global Uncertainty” at the VCCI headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City. The event attracted over 120 participants, including enterprise representatives, international organizations, regulatory bodies, and legal experts. The seminar focused on sharing insights about global ESG trends, changes in international trade policy, and strategies for Vietnamese businesses to improve competitiveness and leverage new opportunities.

Mr. Nguyen Doan Thong from VCCI – HCM emphasized the importance of ESG as a strategic element for Vietnamese companies to boost competitiveness, expand partnerships, and integrate into global value chains. Mr. Sammy Fang, Partner at DLA Piper, provided an overview of global ESG trends and regulatory developments, particularly in Europe, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), along with upcoming changes from the EU’s Omnibus Plan. He warned that Vietnamese firms could face sanctions or exclusion from supply chains if they do not comply with global ESG requirements, even if those regulations are not directly enforced in Vietnam.

Ms. Hoang Nguyen Ha Quyen, Managing Partner at LNT & Partners, analyzed the evolving ESG regulatory environment in Vietnam and the impact of international standards on local businesses. She highlighted the risks of greenwashing and recommended proactive measures like ESG due diligence, improved data collection, and internal capability-building to turn ESG compliance into a competitive edge. Mr. Nathan Bush from DLA Piper concluded with insights on global trade policies, focusing on new U.S. policies including “Trump 2.0 Tariffs,” export controls, investment restrictions, and sanctions. He also discussed opportunities and risks under regional trade agreements such as CPTPP and RCEP.

The seminar provided Vietnamese companies with practical knowledge, strategies, and networking opportunities aimed at helping them address ESG challenges, improve trade readiness, and pursue sustainable growth amid global uncertainty.

Vietnam Net - E | English | News | Sept. 2, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

The “80 Years of Independence - Freedom - Happiness” exhibition at the Vietnam Exhibition Center in Hanoi showcases a variety of domestically developed UAVs, highlighting Vietnam’s advancements in unmanned aerial technology. These UAVs span multiple applications including reconnaissance, combat, firefighting, security, and cargo transport.

Viettel features a long-range multipurpose UAV with a 17-meter wingspan, capable of real-time reconnaissance, electronic surveillance, target marking, and direct attacks. It can operate at altitudes of up to 10 km, reach speeds of 200 km/h, and sustain flights exceeding 24 hours. Viettel also presents a tactical combat UAV designed for stealth daytime strikes on ground forces and light armored vehicles, incorporating AI for autonomous target identification and engagement and deployable at the individual soldier level.

The General Department of National Defense Industry exhibits a firefighting UAV equipped with three rotors and two firefighting cannons, capable of operating within a 5 km radius for 15 minutes when fully loaded. Another product is the UAV-BXL fixed-wing combat drone, weighing 10.5 kg with a range of over 10 km, capable of flying at speeds above 150 km/h and penetrating over 250 mm of steel armor. The TSCB-24 reconnaissance UAV has a maximum takeoff weight of 6 kg, a 30 km range, day and night optical-electronic systems, multiple autonomous flight modes, and encrypted communication.

The N630 UAV, developed by Gtel Corporation under the Ministry of Public Security, serves security, firefighting, rescue, and commercial cargo purposes. It has dimensions of 2,063 x 1,631 x 774 mm, a maximum payload of 30 kg, a flight time of 35 minutes, a control range of 15 km, and can withstand wind speeds up to 12 m/s.

Mỹ vẫn duy trì đàm phán thương mại sau phán quyết tòa án

VN Express | Local Language | News | Sept. 2, 2025 | UndeterminedTrade Issues and Numbers

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated on August 31 that trade negotiations with international partners are continuing despite a recent court ruling. He emphasized that agreements are progressing regardless of the interim legal challenges but did not disclose which countries are involved.

On August 29, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled most of President Donald Trump’s import tariffs illegal, concluding that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the president unlimited authority to impose tariffs. However, the court allowed the tariffs to remain in place until October 14 to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the Supreme Court.

IEEPA, enacted in 1977, allows the president to regulate trade under a declared national emergency related to national security, foreign policy, or the economy. Trump was the first to use IEEPA to impose tariffs, citing trade imbalances, declining manufacturing, and narcotics flow, after declaring a national emergency in April due to persistent trade deficits.

This court ruling impacts tariffs imposed on China, Canada, and Mexico in February, and retaliatory tariffs from April, but does not affect tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles based on other legal grounds. Trade experts note the administration had contingency plans, including potentially relying on Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, allowing tariffs up to 50% on imports from countries found to discriminate against U.S. trade.

President Trump expressed optimism on August 30, stating on social media that if tariffs are upheld by the court, it could be the best year for the U.S. He criticized the court ruling as a mistake and warned of disaster if tariffs are nullified. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro voiced confidence in the Supreme Court’s conservative majority supporting the tariffs. Senator James Lankford highlighted the business community’s desire for a swift resolution to reduce uncertainty caused by ongoing legal challenges.