Vietnam’s merchandise import and export value reached US$25.7 billion in the first half of May 2021, down 6.8% (equivalent to US$1.87 billion) from the second half of April 2021, according to the latest preliminary statistics released by the General Department of Customs.

The import and export value of foreign direct investment (FDI) companies climbed to US$163.49 billion from January to May, up 37% (equivalent to US$44.17 billion) and the import and export value of domestic companies was US$70.46 billion, up 22.8% (US$13.09 billion) over the same period in 2020.

Vietnam's merchandise export approximated US$116.8 billion, an increase of 30.9% (US$27.57 billion) year on year.

Strongly growing merchandise included machinery, equipment, tools and parts (rising by 76.9% or US$5.8 billion); computers, electronic products and parts (rising by 30.2% or US$4.11 billion); telephone and parts (by 21.4% or US$3.52 billion).

Meanwhile, the merchandise import value in the first period of May 2021 expanded from the second half of April 2021. Key imports consisted of machinery, equipment, tools and parts (rising by 9.9% to US$188 million); and fabric (by 7.7% or US$56 million). In total, Vietnam’s imports valued at US$117.15 billion, up 34% year on year (or US$29.69 billion).