Vietnam Uses HiAnime Arrests As Defense Against U.S. Trade Sanctions

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Vietnam Uses HiAnime Arrests As Defense Against U.S. Trade Sanctions

https://torrentfreak.com/vietnam-uses-hianime-arrests-as-defense-against-u-s-trade-sanctions/

Vietnam is playing a high-stakes game of intellectual property poker, using recent piracy crackdowns to ward off U.S. trade sanctions. Earlier this year, Washington slapped Hanoi with a “Priority Foreign Country” label due to weak anti-piracy enforcement, triggering a Section 301 investigation that could lead to real economic pain.

In a massive 3,500-page rebuttal, Vietnam argues it’s not a policy failure, but rather a resource constraint. To prove it’s trying, Hanoi highlighted over 1,200 blocked sites in 2025 and the dismantling of major operations like Fmovies. But the real headline grabber? The HiAnime prosecution.

Vietnam timed the announcement of criminal proceedings against seven suspects to coincide with its USTR submission. While HiAnime shut down months prior, the timing suggests a strategic effort to showcase active enforcement. Hollywood’s MPA, however, remains skeptical, noting that past sentences have been light and lack deterrence.

Now, the focus shifts to the courtroom. With four suspects still in custody, the HiAnime trial will serve as the ultimate test. If Vietnam delivers harsh penalties this time, it might just talk its way off the watchlist. If not, the threat of U.S. tariffs could become very real.