2013 trade turnover surpasses US$264 billion

Export earnings contributed US$132.135 billion of the figure, up 15.4%, while import value increased 16.1% to reach US$132.125 billion.

The foreign direct investment (FDI) sector earned US$80.91 billion from exports (up 26.3%), and spent US$74.43 billion on imports (up 24.2%).

State-owned enterprises' US$108.92 billion trade turnover was 4.4% higher than 2012's figure, comprised of US$51.22 billion in exports and US$57.7 billion in imports.

Vietnam's key exports included telephones and spare parts (US$21.24 billion, up 67.1%); computers, electronics and spare parts (US$10.6 billion, up 35.3%); and garments and textiles (US$17.95 billion, up 18.9%).

Other impressive export earnings also came from footwear; machines, equipment and accessories; seafood; timber products; rubber; rice; cashew nuts; and coal.

Traditional markets in the US, European Union, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and China remained the largest importers of Vietnamese goods. Promising signs also emerged in India, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

(Source: VOV News)