AsemconnectVietnam - France is the third trade partner of Vietnam in Europe, after Germany and Britain with the bilateral trade exchange of over US$ 3.2 billion in 2013.

Last year, Vietnam exported over $ 2.2 billion worth of goods to and imported nearly $ 1 billion worth of goods from Vietnam.

The major commodities exported by the countries to France included cell phones and accessories; footwear of all kinds; textiles and garments; household appliances; farm, forestry and seafood products, etc.

Cell phones and accessories were leading in the list of items exported by the country to France in the first eight months of this year with the turnover of $ 526.74 million, up by 26.5 per cent year – on – year and accounted for 36.8 per cent of the total.

It was followed by footwear of all kinds with $ 156.73 million, up by 6.5 per cent; textiles and garments with $ 121.41 million, up by 1.8 per cent.

In the first eight months of this year, the country’s export of farm, forestry and seafood products to France increased by 28.7 per cent to $ 95.16 million; wood and furniture - up by 28.9 per cent to $ 65.37 million; coffee – up by 17.4 per cent to $ 64.7 million; pepper - up by 93 per cent to $ 16.58 million; and cashew nuts – up by 116.8 per cent to $ 16.21 million.

However, the export of machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts to France saw a decrease of 66.1 per cent year – on – year to $ 11.46 million.

Vietnam’s export of goods to France in the first eight months of 2014. Unit: US$ - Source: The General Department of Customs