South Africa is preparing to defend its trade practices after the US identified it among economies failing to prohibit imports produced through forced labour, potentially leading to new tariffs.

Vietnam's foreign ministry said on Thursday that the U.S. Trade Representative's conclusion that it had ​failed to curb trade in goods made with ‌forced labour does not fully or accurately reflect Vietnam's mitigation efforts.

USTR proposes 12.5% additional duties on India and 53 countries for failing to tackle forced labour import violations.

India continues discussions with the United States regarding Section 301 proceedings concerning forced labour. These talks occur as both nations negotiate a bilateral trade agreement. The US Trade Representative has proposed tariffs on imports from several economies,

The United States plans to hit Australia with a 12.5 per cent tariff after determining Australia had failed to prevent the importation of goods made with forced labour.