Vietnam-China bilateral trade reaches 31 billion USD in first two months: Farmers in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak collect and prepare durians for export. (Photo: VNA)

The value of imports from China in the past two months reached 23.3 billion USD, an increase of 20.7% compared to the same period last year.

However, the value of exports to China was 7.9 billion USD, a decrease of 2.1% compared to the same period last year.

The value of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports in February was estimated at 350 million USD, bringing the total export value of fruits and vegetables in the first two months of the year to 724 million USD, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Compared to the same period last year, the value of fruit and vegetable exports to China dropped by 43%, while exports to the US increased by 38% and exports to Thailand rose by 5%.

Since the beginning of the year, China has tightened imports of certain items from Vietnam, including durian fruit.

China is Vietnam’s largest import market and the second-largest export market. It is also the largest supplier of goods, especially raw materials for production, to Vietnam.

Vietnam-China trade reached a new record high of 205 billion USD last year.