Vietnam rejected this claim, framing the measures as protectionist, turning to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge the US. By December 2019, the Appellate Body no longer had enough judges to hear appeals, and the final stage of WTO dispute settlement effectively collapsed. Many trade policy experts see this evolution as a reflection of deeper geopolitical tensions, particularly between the United States and China. They argue that a modified appellate system could emerge if major powers agree on clearer limits to judicial authority. It captured a moment when legal rules, rather than raw power, structured global trade relations.