During the period, the country’s exports rose 22.4% year on year to $374.84 billion, while its imports increased 35.3% to $395.3 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $20.46 billion, according to data released by the National Statistics Office on Thursday.
Exports reached $374.84 billion, up 22.4% year-on-year. The domestic sector accounted for $74.47 billion, up 7.4% and representing 19.9% of total exports, while the foreign-invested sector contributed $300.37 billion, up 26.9% and accounting for 80.1%.
A total of 33 export items posted a turnover of more than $1 billion each, together accounting for 93.6% of total shipments. Seven products recorded export turnover exceeding $10 billion each, making up 70% of the total.
Manufactured industrial products dominated exports at $337.99 billion, or 90.2% of the total, followed by agricultural and forestry products at $26.65 billion (7.1%), seafood at $8 billion (2.1%) and fuels and minerals at $2.2 billion (0.6%).
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Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam, in January 2025. Photo by Read/Le Tan |
Imports totaled $395.3 billion, up 35.3% year-on-year. The domestic sector accounted for $105.07 billion, up 23.7%, and the foreign-invested sector, $290.23 billion, up 40.1%.
There were 43 import items worth more than $1 billion each, accounting for 93.9% of total import turnover. Three items exceeded $10 billion, making up 55.5%.
Production inputs accounted for $372.04 billion, or 94.1%, of the imports. Machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts represented 57.6%, while raw materials, fuels and other inputs made up 36.5%. Consumer goods accounted for $23.26 billion, or 5.9%.
The U.S. remained Vietnam’s largest export market, with turnover reaching $122 billion, while China was the largest import market with a turnover of $161.9 billion.
In August alone, Vietnam’s total trade turnover stood at $109.7 billion, down 0.1% from the previous month but up 31.7% year-on-year.
Exports reached $54.79 billion, up 3.2% month-on-month. The domestic economic sector contributed $10.5 billion, up 2.2%, while the foreign-invested sector, including crude oil, recorded $44.29 billion, up 3.4%.
Compared with August 2025, exports increased 26%, with the domestic sector rising 14.1% and the foreign-invested sector 29.2%.
Meanwhile, imports in August were valued at $54.91 billion, down 3.1% from the previous month but up 37.9% year-on-year. The domestic sector recorded $12.82 billion, down 7.1%, while the foreign-invested sector reached $42.09 billion, down 1.8%.
To boost exports, Nguyen Thi Huong, the office’s general director, recommended the government effectively implement measures to promote exports and trade, diversify supply and production chains and import-export markets, and improve product quality.
She also called for more effective use of opportunities from signed free trade agreements, stronger exports to major markets, and greater access to new and promising markets, including Halal, Latin American and African markets, with a view to achieving a sustainable trade surplus.
Authorities should also provide enterprises with information and support to meet new market standards, assist them in anti-dumping cases, facilitate access to capital, and encourage the application of advanced technologies to improve product quality and value, thereby expanding markets and promoting exports, she added.