Individuals and businesses have imported nearly 16,900 Chinese manufactured motor vehicles in the eight months leading up to September, according to the Import-Export Department.

Deputy Director Tran Thanh Hai of the Import-Export Department said the increase is primarily attributable to an increase in the number of heavy duty trucks, which is nearly a 4.5 fold the number last year.

Older model trucks were creating excessive damage to the nation’s roads and a crackdown by the government has contributed to the jump in imports from China as their trucks are substantively cheaper than those from other nations.

While the sales volume remains relatively low, the pace of growth has been fast as Vietnam experiences a booming export market as foreign companies relocate and use the country as a manufacturing base.