On the afternoon of November 9, at a government press conference, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hoang Long responded to media questions regarding the review of unlicensed cross-border e-commerce platforms operating in Vietnam, specifically Temu and Shein.

According to Deputy Minister Long, the ministry has actively collaborated with relevant agencies and the legal departments of these e-commerce platforms, urging them to swiftly complete the necessary registrations in compliance with Vietnamese law by the end of November. During the registration process, these platforms must officially announce that they are undergoing registration procedures and suspend all commercial, service, advertising, and marketing activities to protect consumers.

Temu, currently operational in over 80 countries and territories, is among the platforms under scrutiny.  

Additionally, the ministry is expediting a review of related legal provisions on e-commerce, tax, and other areas to ensure compliance with Vietnamese law. Both platforms are cooperating with MoIT and are required to complete all legal requirements within November.

The ministry has issued warnings and stated that if these platforms fail to adhere to Vietnamese laws, it will coordinate with relevant authorities to implement technical measures such as blocking their applications and domains.

Alongside this, the ministry, in cooperation with regulatory agencies, is strengthening inspection and communication efforts, guiding consumers on potential risks associated with transactions on unlicensed platforms.

Strict oversight of tax registration and payment

Regarding tax management, Mai Son, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Taxation under the Ministry of Finance, explained that under Vietnamese tax regulations for e-commerce activities, both domestic and cross-border e-commerce platforms like Temu and Shein are responsible for registration, self-assessment, declaration, and tax payments through the General Department of Taxation’s electronic portal for foreign providers.

If revenue discrepancies are identified, tax authorities will reconcile data to determine actual revenue and conduct inspections if tax evasion is suspected.

According to Mr. Son, 116 foreign providers have registered for tax declaration and payment via the electronic portal, with cumulative tax revenues amounting to VND 20.174 trillion, including VND 8.6 trillion collected in 2024, marking a 25.7% increase over 2023.

On September 4, Temu’s parent company completed its tax registration through the electronic portal. Per regulations, foreign providers must declare taxes quarterly. On October 30, the company submitted its Q3/2024 tax declaration, reporting zero revenue, explaining that October’s revenue will be included in the Q4/2024 declaration.

"The Ministry of Finance will rigorously monitor Temu’s tax declarations and payments to ensure accurate and lawful state budget contributions," Mr. Son affirmed.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance will closely collaborate with other regulatory bodies to ensure timely and comprehensive tax management of cross-border e-commerce platforms.

Thu Hang