The White House’s investigation, frequently used as a precurser to tariffs, will evaluate the country’s intellectual property acts, policies and practices.

The U.S. Trade Representative is leading a Section 301 investigation into Viet Nam’s intellectual property protection and enforcement acts, policies and practices, according to a Friday Federal Register filing.

The probe will examine whether Viet Nam’s “persistent failure” to resolve concerns around IP protection and enforcement harms or restricts U.S. commerce, according to a USTR press release. Per the Federal Register filing, the investigation will evaluate practices related to online piracy, counterfeit goods, border enforcement, unlicensed software use, and cable and satellite signal theft.

“While Viet Nam has recently taken some steps toward addressing IP concerns that the United States has chronicled over many years in USTR’s Annual Special 301 Report, IP infringement in Viet Nam continues to impair the competitive position of U.S. innovators and creators,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in the press release. “We need to see Viet Nam resolve these long-standing concerns, including on a range of IP enforcement issues, in a manner that is sustained and that deters future IP infringements.”

The USTR initially identified Viet Nam as a “priority foreign country” in April in its 2026 Special 301 Report, per the Federal Register filing. The annual report reviews the IP practices of trading partners to determine whether to initiate a Section 301 investigation. The Office of the USTR will begin accepting public comments on the probe Friday. The deadline to submit comments is July 2. 

The Trump administration has previously used Section 301 investigations as a precursor to tariffs.

Last year, the U.S. initiated a Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s trade practices to determine whether the country’s policies and actions negatively impact U.S. commerce.

The USTR is also conducting two separate Section 301 investigations into China, including a review of tariffs on China imports implemented during the first Trump administration. The first phase of the review kicked off earlier this month. Last year, the U.S. initiated a Section 301 probe to examine whether China has held up its end of the “Phase One Agreement” signed in January 2020.

Source: Supplychaindive

• USTR Makes Findings and Proposes Action in 60 Section 301 Investigations Relating to Failures to Take Action on Trade in Forced Labor Goods
• [VCCI] The US officially initiates a Section 301 Investigation into Vietnam on Intellectual property
• General Secretary and President To Lam's working visit to three ASEAN countries: Demonstrating the stature of proactive and constructive diplomacy.
• Viet Nam accelerates innovation drive as skilled workforce becomes key to science and technology growth
• The US is increasing controls on AI chip exports