On July 28, Bloomberg reported that U.S. Customs officials conducted surprise inspections at Chinese-owned factories in Vietnam, heightening market concerns that the White House may soon find an excuse to impose additional tariffs on the Southeast Asian nation. As sensitive trade negotiations between the U.S. and Vietnam are still ongoing, insiders indicated that inspectors rigorously examined relevant documents, sources of raw materials, and production processes to determine how much value was added to products before their export to the U.S., while also investigating potential software intellectual property infringements. The sources noted that although these inspections have raised market fears about the U.S. possibly expanding its tariff regime against Vietnam, no substantial evidence has yet been provided to prove that Chinese goods are being illegally transshipped through Vietnam.