On May 1, 2025, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced the introduction of the Vietnam Human Rights Act, HR 3122. The announcement correlates with the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, marking the end of the Vietnam War. The proposed legislation aims to establish fair trade and human rights priorities for U.S.-Vietnam relations. It includes authorizing the Secretary of State to sanction Vietnamese officials involved in the suppression of religious freedom and complicity in torture.
Smith, who has a history of addressing human rights issues in Vietnam through numerous hearings, stated, “Vietnam’s Communist government wants a closer relationship with the United States, but its trade practices hurt American workers and its secret police jail anyone who challenges its authoritarian rule.”
He emphasized the need for certain conditions before establishing a closer strategic partnership to counter Communist China. “If there is to be a closer alignment of American and Vietnamese interests to counter Communist China, then we need to see a freer Vietnam,” Smith declared. He added, “Any closer strategic partnership should come with conditions—free speech, religious freedom, and fair trade for a start.”
Furthermore, Smith mentioned the deepening ties between the Communist leadership in Hanoi and Beijing. He expressed distrust towards Vietnam as a strategic partner under current conditions, stating, “We cannot trust Vietnam as a strategic partner when Vietnamese Party leaders are co-opted and corrupted by their ties to Beijing.” Smith urged the severance of ties with the Chinese Communist Party for a closer U.S. alliance.
The Vietnam Human Rights Act incorporates several provisions, such as setting diplomatic priorities for U.S. foreign policy, including labor rights expansion and barring goods produced by forced labor from entering the United States. It also instructs the Secretary of State to address internet censorship in Vietnam, which ranks as one of the most restrictive globally, and mandates reporting on human rights progress, particularly concerning sex and labor trafficking of women and girls. Additionally, the Secretary of State is permitted to sanction Vietnamese officials involved in human rights abuses. The act urges the U.S. government to protect American citizens and businesses from cyber-espionage and repression by Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security.
