For the period, a total of 112,000 cars, light duty trucks and other automotive vehicles valued at US$2.579 billion arrived dockside, with the vast majority coming from China, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, India and Japan.
The GSO said Vietnam ports could see auto imports rise even more over coming months with the arrival of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the rising middle class in the country changing consumer purchasing habits.
The AEC has brought about the elimination of tariffs for the 10 ASEAN nations plus the six countries – China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand – which form the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Based on the release of the figures by the GSO, the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA) in turn revised its forecast for auto exports for calendar year 2015 to 210,000, an all-time record high, nearly double last year’s figure.
