US labor department proposes freeing Vietnamese garments from extra procedures
Vietnamese garments can be removed from the list of products requiring federal contractor certification regarding use of forced or indentured child labor, the United States Department of Labor has proposed.
Executive Order 13126, signed by then U.S. President Bill Clinton in June 1999, requires contractors on the Labor Department’s list to prove that their products were not made using forced labor.
In its comment proposing the removal of Vietnamese garments from the list, the labor department said: “While children previously worked under forced labor conditions in the production of garments, the use of forced child labor appears to have been significantly reduced.”
A garment factory in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Lao Dong va Cong Doan (Labor and Labor Union) magazine.
The Labor Department, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security have reached a preliminary conclusion that “there is no longer a reasonable basis” to believe that garments from Vietnam are produced by forced or indentured child labor, except in a few isolated instances.
The department had added Vietnamese garments to the force labor watch-list in 2012, citing some cases of child labor. Vietnamese authorities have since shut down all responsible criminal rings and the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, a local non-governmental organization (NGO), found no use of children used for sweatshop labor in 2017.
The U.S. Labor Department has noted that authorities have updated the Vietnamese legal framework to fortify measures against forced child labor. It has asked for comments on proposed changes to be submitted no later than June 10.
According to customs data, the U.S. was Vietnam biggest export market in the first four months of this year, accounting for with revenues of $34.72 billion, up 21.2% year-on-year. This included garment products worth $4.4 billion, up 5.7% year-on-year. The U.S. was also the biggest buyer of made-in-Vietnam garments.
Garments were Vietnam’s fourth-biggest export earner in Jan-April at $10.42 billion, up 6.7%; behind computers, electronics and spare parts; phones and spare parts; and machines and equipment.
- Related News
- Read More
Japanese retailer Aeon Mall to build another shopping center in northern Vietnam
Japan’s Aeon Mall is set to invest nearly $150 million in a shopping mall project in the northern province of Bac Ninh, marking a further push into Vietnam’s fast-growing industrial localities.
Industries - Fri, May 1, 2026 | 10:59 am GMT+7
Hyosung Vina raises $7.6 mln in unsecured bond sale
Hyosung Vina Chemicals, the Vietnam arm of South Korean chaebol Hyosung, has completed a VND200 billion ($7.59 million) domestic bond issuance, according to disclosures on the Hanoi Stock Exchange.
Companies - Fri, May 1, 2026 | 10:16 am GMT+7
Vietnam central bank to add new metrics to oversee banking activity
The State Bank of Vietnam is proposing a set of new prudential metrics to strengthen oversight of banking operations, replacing the traditional loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) with a broader framework aligned with Basel III standards.
Banking - Fri, May 1, 2026 | 8:00 am GMT+7
From national reunification to aspiration for an integrated development space
In 1975, Vietnam united the country through determination and a shared aspiration for independence. Today, in a very different context, the country faces a new challenge: unifying its market through institutional reform, writes Dr. Nguyen Sy Dung, former deputy head of the Office of the National Assembly - the country's legislature.
Economy - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 10:27 pm GMT+7
Vietjet seeks deeper engagement in Vietnam's aviation infrastructure development
Vietjet, Vietnam’s first private airline, has proposed earlier and broader participation in Vietnam’s airport planning and infrastructure development, as the budget carrier looks to expand its role beyond flight operations into ground services and logistics.
Companies - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 9:42 pm GMT+7
Vietnamese giants kick off 4 mega projects in HCMC
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee on Wednesday held a groundbreaking ceremony for four large-scale projects invested by Vietnamese conglomerates including Vingroup, Sun Group and Truong Hai Group (Thaco).
Economy - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 8:01 pm GMT+7
Vingroup starts work on $2.2 bln int'l university township in southern Vietnam
Vietnam’s conglomerate Vingroup (HoSE: VIC) on Wednesday broke ground on a VND59 trillion ($2.24 billion) international university township in Ho Chi Minh City.
Real Estate - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 12:38 pm GMT+7
Chinese firm Livzon secures control of Vietnam’s pharma giant Imexpharm in $228 mln deal
Lian SGP Holding Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based entity wholly owned by China’s Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc., has acquired a controlling stake in Vietnam’s pharma giant Imexpharm (HoSE: IMP) following a public tender offer.
Companies - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 12:22 pm GMT+7
Sun Group partners with Keppel to drive green transition across tourist places
Vietnam’s leading real estate developer Sun Group has signed a strategic partnership with Keppel EaaS Vietnam, part of Singapore’s Keppel Ltd., to accelerate energy optimization and decarbonization across its tourism destinations.
Real Estate - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 10:42 am GMT+7
'Shark Hung' unexpectedly resigns from real estate brokerage Cen Land ahead of AGM
Pham Thanh Hung, widely known as “Shark Hung”, has stepped down from the board of directors at Century Real Estate JSC (Cen Land) - a major Vietnamese real estate brokerage, citing "personal plans".
Companies - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 10:32 am GMT+7
Japanese FDI in Vietnam: From manufacturing hub to strategic capital flows
Japanese investment in Vietnam is shifting away from a factory-led model toward a long-term ecosystem spanning manufacturing, energy, industrial parks, retail, and banking-financial services.
Economy - Thu, April 30, 2026 | 7:11 am GMT+7
Keppel files arbitration against partners in $1.2 bln southern Vietnam project
Singapore conglomerate Keppel Ltd. has initiated arbitration proceedings against three partners in a $1.2 billion residential and mixed-use urban project in Vietnam’s southern metropolis hub of Ho Chi Minh City.
Real Estate - Wed, April 29, 2026 | 9:54 pm GMT+7
Vietnam to secure 4 mln oil barrels from Japan's Idemitsu
Japanese petroleum giant Idemitsu Kosan will provide Vietnam with about four million barrels of crude oil procured through routes that do not transit the Strait of Hormuz, Nikkei reported on Monday.
Industries - Wed, April 29, 2026 | 4:04 pm GMT+7
Central Vietnam hub Danang approves land lease for $200 mln AI-ready data center project
The Danang People's Committee has approved a land lease to MCB Decenter Co. Ltd. for the AIDC Decenter data center project, covering 10,000 square meters at the Danang Hi-Tech Park in Lien Chieu ward.
Companies - Wed, April 29, 2026 | 3:45 pm GMT+7
Vietnam corporate bond flows concentrate among large corporations
Vietnam’s private corporate bond market has shown signs of recovery in the first four months of 2026, led by real estate issuers, though capital flows remain heavily concentrated among a handful of large corporations.
Finance - Wed, April 29, 2026 | 2:55 pm GMT+7
Previously invested projects will refill cash flow for Vietnam major builder CII’s next growth leg: CEO
Le Quoc Binh, CEO of Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure Investment JSC (HoSE: CII), likened the company to a marathon runner that cannot keep running nonstop and at times must stop for “water,” recover strength and continue, with that “source of water” coming from property projects the company has already invested in.
Companies - Wed, April 29, 2026 | 1:22 pm GMT+7
