The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced it is investigating timber imports from Vietnam.
The investigation will focus on Vietnam’s acts, policies and practices related to the import and use of illegally harvested timber, and whether the country undervalued its currency.
“Using illegal timber in wood products exported to the U.S. market harms the environment and is unfair to U.S. workers and businesses who follow the rules by using legally harvested timber,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement. “In addition, unfair currency practices can harm U.S. workers and businesses that compete with Vietnamese products that may be artificially lower-priced because of currency undervaluation.”
Vietnam relies on timber harvested from other countries, such as Cambodia, for its wood products, according to the USTR. Vietnam’s timber industry has seen rapid growth over the past few years, with wood flooring experts linking the surge to an alternative source for timber following the U.S.’s trade war with China.
