Countering fake goods has become one way to navigate the upcoming end of 90-day tariff pause as Vietnam and the U.S. discuss a new trade deal and the Southeast Asian industrial hub hopes to avoid steep tariffs on its exports.
00:00$40 for a designer good? On the streets and in the shopping malls of Vietnam, such deals are pretty common, but they come with a catch. The luxury brand item you are buying may look authentic, but often enough, it's a fake.
00:19The Southeast Asian nation has become a major industrial hub over the years, manufacturing products for some of the world's biggest brands, but this progress has also given rise to a robust counterfeit goods market.
00:33And with Vietnam now in talks with the U.S. to avoid steep tariffs on its exports, the government is trying to crack down on a long-standing issue, one seen as a major trade barrier by U.S. officials.
00:45The Domestic Market Management and Market Development Department simultaneously conducts inspections of major business points here, the market center.
00:54This commercial establishment used its public address system to alert vendors to shut down in an effort to disrupt official enforcement activities.
01:02Recent footage shows Vietnamese authorities raid in Saigon Square shopping mall. It's a popular location in Ho Chi Minh City, known for selling knockoffs of famous brands.
01:12Many of the fake goods are imported from China, Vietnam's largest source of imports.
01:17That's made the fight against counterfeiting a central issue in tariff talks with the U.S., especially as a 90-day pause is set to end in July.
01:26But for many in Vietnam, counterfeit goods have long been a part of life, and getting rid of them will negatively affect both consumers and businesses.
01:35For me, my financial situation doesn't allow me to buy expensive, authentic products.
01:42Sometimes with clothes and shoes, I know they're fake, but they're affordable for many people.
01:48A lot of families don't have the money to buy high-quality clothing and footwear.
01:52I just want the fake clothes to suit me or look good when I wear them.
01:57I don't really pay attention to brands or labels.
02:00There are even brands I've never heard of, no matter how famous they might be.
02:03But for designers, they also want their products to be protected from being copied or pirated.
02:08The U.S. is Vietnam's largest export market, and the tariffs could have a big impact on its economy, driving down foreign manufacturing investment.
02:17While it looks for new ways to meet its growth targets for this year, the country is also doing whatever it can to strike the best possible deal with the U.S.
