From January-April, exports totalled US$103.9 billion, an increase of 28.3 % against the same period last year.

The domestic sector exported US$25.76 billion worth of goods and services, up 12.8% year-on-year and accounting for 24.8% of the total overseas shipments, while the foreign-invested sector contributed US$78.14 billion, up 34.4% and representing 75.2% of the total.

Highest growth was seen in the heavy industry and mining sector, which generated US$57.58 billion in export revenue, a year-on-year rise of 33%. It was followed by the light and craft industries, 27.5%; and agriculture and forestry, 8.8%.

The US was Vietnam’s largest buyer during the period, with a value of US$30.3 billion, up 50.1% year-on-year. China came second, purchasing US$16.8 billion worth of goods and services from Vietnam, up 32.4%; followed by the EU, US$12.6 billion and 18.1%.

Four-month imports rose by 30.8% from a year earlier to US$102.6 billion. Some 93.9% of the imports were capital goods, worth a total of US$96.31 billion, up 31.4%. The remainder was consumer goods, valued at US$6.3 billion, up 22.5%.

China remained as Vietnam’s biggest seller with US$33.1 billion worth of goods and services shipped to Vietnam, up 47.8% year-on-year, followed by the Republic of Korea (US$16.9 billion), ASEAN (US$14.1 billion), and Japan (US$7.2 billion).

The GSO also reported trade surplus of US$1.29 billion and total retail sales of goods and services of close to VND1.7 quadrillion (US$73.5 billion) in the first four month of the year, up 10% year-on-year.