Vietnam is going to stop the present stream of Chinese goods being rerouted through its territory to the United States and will strengthen oversight of sensitive exports to China, according to reports by Reuters.

Our country has expressed concerns over Chinese goods falsely labeled as “Made in Vietnam” to avoid tariffs. Despite these efforts, the Trump administration imposed a 46% tariff as part of a broader trade crackdown.Representatives from Vietnam and the U.S. agreed to start talks after a Vietnamese deputy prime minister met with the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday.

In announcing the start of trade talks with the U.S. on Thursday, Vietnam’s government said on its official portal it would crack down on “trade fraud”. It did not provide specifics. The U.S. is Vietnam’s largest export market and security partner. However, China is a key source of its investments.

At the meeting, Vietnamese trade and customs officials were instructed to draft a plan within two weeks to curb illicit transhipment, with a possible extension to late April. Hanoi is proceeding cautiously to avoid straining ties with China.

Jeff Newman JD MBA, represents whistleblowers in major tariff fraud cases concerning imported Chinese goods. His firm also represents whistleblowers in Medicare and Medicaid fraud cases under the False Claims Act (Qui Tam), and SEC, IRS and FINCEN whistleblower programs. He can be reached at Jeff@JeffNewmanLaw.com or at 617-823-3217