In April only, the country’s imports of chemical products fell by 9.1 per cent compared with the previous month, but increased by 12 per cent over the same month of last year to $ 377.58 million.

China was leading the list of the country’s import market of chemical products in the first four months of this year with $ 421.13 million, up by 28 per cent year – on – year and accounted for 28 per cent of the total.

South Korea followed with $ 200.4 million, down by 0.9 per cent; and then Taiwan - $ 156.93 million, up by 12.7 per cent.

In the first four months of this year, Vietnam’s imports of chemical products from Russia increased sharply by 65.5 per cent to $ 1.1 million; from the Philippines – up by 44.4 per cent to $ 5.32 million; from Spain – up by 43.4 per cent to $ 20.2 million; from Turkey – up by 36.5 per cent to $ 2.65 million; and from Switzerland - up by 31.7 per cent to $ 14.19 million.

However, the imports of chemical products from Finland fell by 58 per cent to $ 3.4 million; from Ireland – down by 51 per cent to $ 1.05 million; from Saudi Arabia – down by 49 per cent to $ 2.8 million; and from New Zealand – down by 42.4 per cent to $ 0.47 million.

Vietnam’s imports of chemical products in the first four months of 2018 - Unit: US$- source: VITIC – according to the figures of the General Department of Customs