Meanwhile, Vietnam's shoe industry officials complained their industry will pay a high price in lost earnings and jobs because of the new European Union anti-dumping measures levied on its exports.

The EU on Wednesday adopted new anti-dumping measures on imports of leather shoes from China and Vietnam after a heated debate between producer countries such as Italy and consumer nations seeking to keep a supply of cheap goods.

Nguyen Gia Thao, president of Vietnam's Leather and Footwear Association (LEFASO), was quoted by the Vietnam News Agency as saying there had not been any "violations of international trade rules" to justify the levies.

The final cost has yet to be calculated, VNA said, but "it is certain that it will affect the jobs of between 60,000 and 70,000 workers in the industry and some small-scale enterprises will face bankruptcy.

"The EU's anti-dumping measures will not only cause difficulties ... for more than half a million Vietnamese workers ... in the leather and shoe industry, but also for many others whose jobs service the industry and who are already living under the poverty line," it said, citing the industry group.