According to figures released by the General Statistics Office on July 3, Vietnam's exports totalled USD 266.52 billion, an increase of 21 per cent from a year earlier.
The domestic sector generated USD 53.51 billion in export revenue, up 4.6 per cent and accounting for 20.1 per cent of total exports, while the foreign invested sector, including crude oil, exported USD 213.01 billion, up 26 per cent and representing 79.9 per cent of the total.
Manufactured goods remained the dominant export category, generating USD 239.8 billion and accounting for 90 per cent of exports. Agricultural and forestry products contributed USD 19.23 billion, or 7.2 per cent, while seafood exports reached USD 5.76 billion, accounting for 2.2 per cent. Fuel and mineral exports totalled USD 1.73 billion, representing 0.6 per cent.
Imports rose even faster than exports during the first half of the year, increasing 33.4 per cent year on year to USD 283.17 billion. The domestic sector imported USD 78.46 billion, up 24.3 per cent, while the foreign invested sector imported USD 204.71 billion, an increase of 37.3 per cent.
Production materials accounted for USD 266.4 billion, or 94.1 per cent of total imports. Machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts made up 56 per cent of imports, while raw materials and fuels accounted for 38.1 per cent. Consumer goods imports totalled USD 16.77 billion, representing 5.9 per cent.
The United States remained Vietnam's largest export market, with exports valued at USD 86.5 billion, while China was the country's largest source of imports at USD 115.2 billion.
Vietnam recorded a trade surplus of USD 75.3 billion with the United States during the first half of 2026, up 21.3 per cent year on year. The surplus with the European Union reached USD 21.9 billion, an increase of 15.2 per cent, while the surplus with Japan fell 5 per cent to USD 1.2 billion.
Meanwhile, Vietnam's trade deficit with China widened 39 per cent to USD 77.3 billion. The deficit with South Korea rose 81 per cent to USD 26.4 billion, while the deficit with ASEAN increased 36.1 per cent to USD 10.1 billion.
Overall, Vietnam posted a merchandise trade deficit of USD 16.65 billion during the first six months of 2026. The domestic sector recorded a trade deficit of USD 24.95 billion, while the foreign invested sector, including crude oil, posted a trade surplus of USD 8.3 billion.
"The faster growth in imports than exports indicates that demand for production inputs continues to expand, while also reflecting a strong recovery in manufacturing activity, particularly in the foreign invested sector," Nguyen Thi Huong, director general of the General Statistics Office, said.
