Trade surplus estimated at US$7.21 billion this year

The agency said on December 27 that the total trade turnover this year is likely to hit US$482.23 billion, up 12.6% from a year earlier. It includes US$244.72 billion in exports and US$237.51 billion in imports, up 13.8 percent and 11.5%, respectively.

In December alone, the trade value decreased by 2.6 percent month on month to about US$42.2 billion, including US$21 billion in exports – down 3.4%, and US$21.2 billion in imports – down 1.8%.

During the year, machinery, equipment and spare parts record the highest annual exports growth rate, 28%, to reach some US$16.53 billion . They are followed by textile-apparel (up 16.6% to US$30.45 billion) and computers, electronic products and components (up 13.4% to US$29.45 billion).

Meanwhile, the fastest pace of imports is seen in fabric (up 13.5% to US$12.91 billion); computers, electronic products and components (up 12.5% to US$42.5 billion); and materials for textile, garment, leather and footwear production (up 5.7% to US$5.74 billion), according to estimates of the Vietnam Customs.