TESLA AND SAMSUNG OPPOSE NEW U.S. TARIFFS ON VIETNAM BEFORE NOVEMBER 29 DEADLINE. HANOI, November 2 (Reuters) - Businesses are divided on whether Washington should propose new tariffs on Vietnamese goods this month, with Tesla (TSLA.O) and Samsung (005930.KS) among those opposing, while others urge imposition of penalties, according to documents submitted to the U.S. government. The Trump administration set a November 29 deadline to conclude a trade investigation launched in May regarding allegations of intellectual property violations by this Southeast Asian nation. Vietnam has been placed on the “Priority Foreign Country” list—the first country added to America’s most serious monitoring list in 13 years. The U.S. has accused Vietnam of “persistently failing to address longstanding concerns regarding the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.” A separate investigation into allegations of excess production capacity is also underway. Vietnam has urged Washington to conduct investigations objectively. It remains unclear whether tariffs related to intellectual property violations would be applied broadly or only to specific industries. Currently, the U.S. imposes a general tariff of 12.5% on Vietnamese goods, enacted in July following an investigation into claims that Vietnam failed to prevent imports produced with forced labor. Vietnam, long accused of serving as a transit hub for Chinese goods, faced a 20% tariff after Trump’s “Liberation Day,” but that measure was overturned by the Supreme Court. Many economists believe the Trump administration’s goal is to reinstate at least the tariff level previously struck down by the Supreme Court. Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla urged the U.S. Trade Representative to “consider the supply chain needs of U.S. manufacturers.” In comments submitted on July 2, Tesla stated that certain advanced components and precision manufacturing equipment cannot be produced domestically despite significant investments in U.S. manufacturing. Samsung’s U.S. unit made a similar argument, noting that Vietnam produces a significant portion of Samsung’s smartphones and networking equipment for the U.S. market. The South Korean company is Vietnam’s largest foreign investor, with total investments of approximately $25 billion. Retail corporations and trade associations representing industries with large-scale manufacturing operations in Vietnam—including footwear, apparel, and consumer goods producers such as bicycles or gaming consoles—also oppose additional tariffs. Vietnam’s exports to the U.S. surged 42% in the first eight months of this year compared to the same period in 2025, making Vietnam America’s largest goods trade surplus partner, surpassing China and Mexico. This figure far exceeds Vietnam’s fourth-place ranking at the end of 2025. STEEL, SOLAR, AND WOOD INDUSTRIES ACCUSE VIETNAM OF UNFAIR PRACTICES Industry groups representing U.S. producers of steel, seafood, plywood, solar panels, and wood products have accused Vietnam of unfair practices and called for new tariffs. Intellectual property holders—including companies in software, film, and music industries—have urged Washington to demand specific commitments from Vietnam to combat rampant piracy. The Business Software Alliance, which includes members such as Microsoft (MSFT.O), Oracle (ORCL.N), and IBM (IBM.N), cited a 2017 survey indicating that about three-quarters of software installed on personal computers in Vietnam was unlicensed. The survey criticized what it described as “inadequate enforcement,” despite repeated Vietnamese commitments to address the issue. The Motion Picture Association stated that Vietnam is a major hub for online copyright infringement, hosting websites distributing stolen film and television content that attracted over 12.5 billion global visits last year. The association called for stronger law enforcement and improved market access for legitimate streaming services. By Francesco Guarascio (Reuters)