Vietnam unveils tools for taxing and tracking Big Tech

Hanoi targets Alibaba, Netflix and Amazon with pair of new regulations

Vietnam is trying to strengthen taxation of e-commerce giants. Supporters say this will level the playing field for local companies, while opponents call the proposed rules "onerous." (Source photo by Getty Images)

LIEN HOANG, Nikkei staff writer

April 6, 2021 14:59 JST

HO CHI MINH CITY -- Vietnam is proposing a pair of regulations that would compel global tech players such as Alibaba and Google to hand over more taxes and data, in a move to increase government oversight in one of the world's fastest-growing digital markets.

One proposal would give state inspectors access to an e-commerce site's internal data on merchants, while the second would introduce a tax collection regime deemed "onerous" and "concerning" by a trade group funded by the likes of Apple and Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten.