Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HANOI137
2009-02-19 06:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:
IMPORT LICENSING: A HALF-HEARTED DEFICIT-BUSTING SCHEME
how-toVZCZCXRO6321 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH RUEHPB DE RUEHHI #0137/01 0500629 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 190629Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9155 INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5582 RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000137
EAP/MLS FOR BROWN
USTR FOR DBISBEE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN EINV KCOR KPRV PGOV VM
SUBJECT: IMPORT LICENSING: A HALF-HEARTED DEFICIT-BUSTING SCHEME
REF: A) 08 Hanoi 1139 ("Reviewing the Trade Agenda ");
B) 08 Hanoi 847 ("Economic Highlights: Import Licensing")
HANOI 00000137 001.2 OF 002
(U) This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. For official use
only, not for dissemination outside USG channels or posting on the
internet.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000137
EAP/MLS FOR BROWN
USTR FOR DBISBEE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN EINV KCOR KPRV PGOV VM
SUBJECT: IMPORT LICENSING: A HALF-HEARTED DEFICIT-BUSTING SCHEME
REF: A) 08 Hanoi 1139 ("Reviewing the Trade Agenda ");
B) 08 Hanoi 847 ("Economic Highlights: Import Licensing")
HANOI 00000137 001.2 OF 002
(U) This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. For official use
only, not for dissemination outside USG channels or posting on the
internet.
1. (U) Summary: Vietnam's import licensing regime was implemented
in response to the unprecedented rise in imports that caused a
record $18 billion trade deficit in 2008. Although potentially
burdensome, the licensing scheme has not inhibited U.S. exports to
date and its scope is much narrower than when it was introduced.
Despite this, Mission Vietnam continues to engage with the
Government of Vietnam to ensure that the system does not become an
obstacle in our growing trade relationship. End summary.
AUTOMATIC IMPORT LICENSING COVERAGE
--------------
2. (U) Vietnam's automatic import licensing system, introduced in
August 2008, requires importers of a wide category of goods to
obtain a license from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) to
get their goods through Customs. Licenses must be issued within
five working days and are truly automatic, in that none are turned
down. The latest list of goods includes mostly consumer goods like
cosmetics, kitchen and house appliances, furniture, cell phones and
automobiles. The system, which originally had a sunset clause, was
extended indefinitely last December.
JUSTIFICATION: "DO SOMETHING"
--------------
3. (SBU) MOIT officials told Econoff that the import licensing
system was needed in order for the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to
have better statistics on trade flow numbers. MOIT officials claim
that Customs does not keep a good record of imports, especially of
some consumer goods. (Comment: If this is true, it is hard to
understand why the GVN simply doesn't require Customs to keep better
numbers or why it is keeping tabs on only 155 tariff line items.)
Most observers believe that the timing of the scheme -- at a time
when Vietnam's trade deficit was rising rapidly -- was not a
coincidence. In private, MOIT officials call the system "a mess,"
and acknowledge that they were tasked to "do something" about the
deficit.
DEFANGING A MUCH-CRITICIZED SYSTEM
--------------
4. (U) When the system first came out in August 2008, it immediately
came under criticism. Over double the amount of imports were
subject to import licensing, took longer than the required five
days, and was laden with red-tape and paperwork. After much
criticism, including from businesses in the export sector who
claimed the measure would actually exacerbate the deficit by making
it harder for them to import the inputs and machinery that they
needed, the GVN narrowed down the list, removed export industry
inputs and machinery, shortened the issuance time and drew down the
number of required documents. The importers applauded the changes.
They also welcomed the GVN's leaving the December 2008 sunset clause
in place. However, the GVN subsequently reversed its position, and
on December 12, 2008 renewed the system indefinitely.
OPEN-ENDED AND STILL POTENTIALLY PROBLEMATIC
--------------
5. (SBU) MOIT officials tell us now that they do not know when the
system will cease to operate. Criticism has abated ("we haven't had
a single complaint about how it operates," they claimed),lessening
the pressure on the GVN to put an end to it. Although the deficit
has gone down and demand for imports is lower, Vietnam still ran a
deficit in January 2009.
COMMENT: KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE
--------------
6. (SBU) The GVN remains concerned about trade flows and will be
loath to give up a system that helps it identify and target imports
in a category that the GVN itself refers to as "non-essential."
Mission Vietnam, USTR representatives and other USG interlocutors
have raised concerns on import licensing with the GVN on numerous
occasions (Reftels),and have discussed it with like-minded missions
in Vietnam. Bilateral trade with Vietnam was up 25% in 2008 from
the previous year, and our exports were up by over 38%. We will
continue to engage with the GVN and our exporters to ensure that
import licensing does not affect our trade relationship.
HANOI 00000137 002.2 OF 002
MICHALAK
EAP/MLS FOR BROWN
USTR FOR DBISBEE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN EINV KCOR KPRV PGOV VM
SUBJECT: IMPORT LICENSING: A HALF-HEARTED DEFICIT-BUSTING SCHEME
REF: A) 08 Hanoi 1139 ("Reviewing the Trade Agenda ");
B) 08 Hanoi 847 ("Economic Highlights: Import Licensing")
HANOI 00000137 001.2 OF 002
(U) This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. For official use
only, not for dissemination outside USG channels or posting on the
internet.
1. (U) Summary: Vietnam's import licensing regime was implemented
in response to the unprecedented rise in imports that caused a
record $18 billion trade deficit in 2008. Although potentially
burdensome, the licensing scheme has not inhibited U.S. exports to
date and its scope is much narrower than when it was introduced.
Despite this, Mission Vietnam continues to engage with the
Government of Vietnam to ensure that the system does not become an
obstacle in our growing trade relationship. End summary.
AUTOMATIC IMPORT LICENSING COVERAGE
--------------
2. (U) Vietnam's automatic import licensing system, introduced in
August 2008, requires importers of a wide category of goods to
obtain a license from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) to
get their goods through Customs. Licenses must be issued within
five working days and are truly automatic, in that none are turned
down. The latest list of goods includes mostly consumer goods like
cosmetics, kitchen and house appliances, furniture, cell phones and
automobiles. The system, which originally had a sunset clause, was
extended indefinitely last December.
JUSTIFICATION: "DO SOMETHING"
--------------
3. (SBU) MOIT officials told Econoff that the import licensing
system was needed in order for the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to
have better statistics on trade flow numbers. MOIT officials claim
that Customs does not keep a good record of imports, especially of
some consumer goods. (Comment: If this is true, it is hard to
understand why the GVN simply doesn't require Customs to keep better
numbers or why it is keeping tabs on only 155 tariff line items.)
Most observers believe that the timing of the scheme -- at a time
when Vietnam's trade deficit was rising rapidly -- was not a
coincidence. In private, MOIT officials call the system "a mess,"
and acknowledge that they were tasked to "do something" about the
deficit.
DEFANGING A MUCH-CRITICIZED SYSTEM
--------------
4. (U) When the system first came out in August 2008, it immediately
came under criticism. Over double the amount of imports were
subject to import licensing, took longer than the required five
days, and was laden with red-tape and paperwork. After much
criticism, including from businesses in the export sector who
claimed the measure would actually exacerbate the deficit by making
it harder for them to import the inputs and machinery that they
needed, the GVN narrowed down the list, removed export industry
inputs and machinery, shortened the issuance time and drew down the
number of required documents. The importers applauded the changes.
They also welcomed the GVN's leaving the December 2008 sunset clause
in place. However, the GVN subsequently reversed its position, and
on December 12, 2008 renewed the system indefinitely.
OPEN-ENDED AND STILL POTENTIALLY PROBLEMATIC
--------------
5. (SBU) MOIT officials tell us now that they do not know when the
system will cease to operate. Criticism has abated ("we haven't had
a single complaint about how it operates," they claimed),lessening
the pressure on the GVN to put an end to it. Although the deficit
has gone down and demand for imports is lower, Vietnam still ran a
deficit in January 2009.
COMMENT: KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE
--------------
6. (SBU) The GVN remains concerned about trade flows and will be
loath to give up a system that helps it identify and target imports
in a category that the GVN itself refers to as "non-essential."
Mission Vietnam, USTR representatives and other USG interlocutors
have raised concerns on import licensing with the GVN on numerous
occasions (Reftels),and have discussed it with like-minded missions
in Vietnam. Bilateral trade with Vietnam was up 25% in 2008 from
the previous year, and our exports were up by over 38%. We will
continue to engage with the GVN and our exporters to ensure that
import licensing does not affect our trade relationship.
HANOI 00000137 002.2 OF 002
MICHALAK