West OC Times

Congresswoman Michelle Steel has issued a statement following the Department of Commerce's decision to reject Vietnam’s request for designation as a “market economy” by the U.S. government. The decision highlighted that the Vietnamese government continues to exert significant control over business and resource allocation, alongside notable corruption within its legal system.

“The Department of Commerce made the right decision in rejecting Communist Vietnam’s request to be designated a market economy. As my July letter to Secretary Raimondo noted, Vietnam’s government continues to limit economic freedom by exercising strict control over the national economy. Corruption also remains prevalent, and citizens are subject to rampant human rights abuses that the free world should never tolerate,” said Congresswoman Steel.

“I will continue to keep a watchful eye over U.S. policy toward Communist Vietnam and call attention to its economic and human rights abuses,” she added.

The Department of Commerce ruling emphasized that deeper structural reforms are necessary for Vietnam to be considered a market economy, stating, “these issues not only deter further foreign investment but also impede Vietnam’s progress toward a fully functional market economy.”

Last month, Rep. Steel urged the Biden Administration to block Vietnam’s request for market economy status, citing ongoing governmental control over the national economy and human rights abuses in Communist Vietnam.

In her letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Steel wrote: “We must not reward Communist bad actors with economic status that will only empower those with deteriorating human rights and economic abuses. I strongly urge you to block Vietnam’s request for market economy status.”