In July only, the country imported nearly $5.56 billion worth of goods from China, slightly increased by 4.1 per cent over the previous month and by 16.1 per cent over the same month of last year.

Machines, equipment and spare parts were leading the list of items imported by the country from China in the first seven months of this year with the import value of $6.51 billion, accounted for over 18.2 per cent of the total and increased by 4.1 per cent over the same period last year.

The other leading items were telephones and components with $4.33 billion, up by 11.2 per cent; fabrics - $4.05 billion, up by 18 per cent; computers, electronics and components - $3.95 billion, up by 3.5 per cent; and iron and steel - $2.77 billion, up by 10 per cent.

In the first seven months of this year, Vietnam’s imports of cameras, camcorders and components from China increased sharply by 165.3 per cent to $474.3 million; petroleum – up by 99.2 per cent to $608.6 million; metal products – up by 88.4 per cent to $369.57 million; oil and grease - up by 65.6 per cent to $10.5 million; coal – up by 52.2 per cent to $168.03 million.

However, the imports of CBU autos fell by 90.7 per cent to $14.97 million; cotton – down by 37.7 per cent to $0.83 million; and pharmaceuticals – down by 39.5 per cent to $21.85 million.

Imports of goods from China in the first 7 months of 2018 - Unit: US$ - source: VITIC – according to the figures of the General Department of Customs