Of the figure, the export value is likely to reach 113.93 billion USD since the beginning of this year, up 16 percent against the same period last year, while import value is calculated at 111.36 billion USD, a rise of 10.2 percent.

As a result, Vietnam will run a trade surplus of 2.57 billion USD in the first half of the year.

In January-June, the country hopes to gross 22.5 billion USD from exporting mobile phones and spare parts (up 15.4 percent) as well as 13.42 billion USD from garment-textile (up 13.8 percent), nearly 13.46 billion USD from computers, electronic products and components (up 15.7 percent), and 3.96 billion USD from aquatic products (up 11 percent).

Also in the reviewed period, imports of computers, electronic products and spare parts are estimated at 19.7 billion USD (up 14.3 percent), machinery, equipment and components 16.15 billion USD (down 7.3 percent), mobile phones and spare parts 5.97 billion USD (down 4.4 percent), and fabric 6.43 billion USD (up 17.1 percent).

Vietnam’s trade surplus hit a record high of 2.92 billion USD in 2017, according the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The country had 29 groups of items whose export revenue exceeded 1 billion USD, 20 groups with export turnover of above 2 billon USD and eight groups with export value of more than 6 billion USD. 

2017 was considered a good year for Vietnam with its exports crossing the 200 billon USD mark for the first time and ending at 214.02 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 21.2 percent and well above the Government’s target.