US allegations of forced labor refuted

Asian countries reject remarks as Washington rebuilds tariff wall

Asian countries, including Singapore and Vietnam, rejected the allegations of "forced labor" made by the United States as a pretext to impose additional tariffs of 10-12.5 percent on 60 economies.

While the short-term impact of the proposed tariffs may not be significant, experts said Asian countries and regions should be prepared as the US is rebuilding its tariff architecture to gain leverage for negotiations.

The conclusions of an investigation into forced labor practices by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, or USTR, do "not accurately reflect the reality and Vietnam's efforts in preventing and mitigating forced labor", said Pham Thu Hang, spokeswoman for Vietnam's Foreign Ministry, on Thursday.