24 June, 2025
Vietnam's import-export sector has grown tremendously in the last couple of years, achieving record values in 2025. The country remains one of the most important players in international trade due to its strategic location, educated workforce, low labor costs, and progressive policies. As per Vietnam import statistics, the goods imported into the country went up to $99.68 billion in quarter 1 of 2025. On the other hand, Vietnam export statistics indicates that exports during the same period amounted to $102.84 billion. Using customs information for Vietnam's trades, we can estimate that by the end of the first four months of 2025, Vietnam would have recorded total trade figures of $276.89 billion dollars along with a surplus of three point seven nine billion dollars. The range of good offered by Vietnam includes electronics, textiles industrial machinery greater than double agricultural products and others inclusive electronics and an wide variety needed throughout world market . In this paper we will analyze both export and import performance as well as drivers defining patterns with special attention paid on timespan 2024-25
In the first quarter of 2025, Vietnam’s total trade turnover reached an impressive $202.52 billion which is a 13.7 % increase year on year . According to Nguyen Phuoc Thai, imports increased by 17% standing at $99.68 billion while exports rose to $102.84 billion which was an increase of 10.6 percent. The domestic sector yielded $29.02 billion in exports indicating a sharp increase of 15% whereas the foreign invested sector saw an increase of 9% and contributed $73.82 billion. By mid april 2025 , Vietnam's cumulative export value crossed $119.62 billion up from last year's figure representing a ,16,3 percentage rise .This growth was driven by robust performance in country’s computers and electronic components industries as seen in the Vietnam exports data 2025.
Vietnam now actively engages its key partners like the European Union, United States and ASEAN member countries into multiple trade agreements over recent years Additionally these agreements have improved market penetration for Vietnamese products but remarkably bolstered their export potential which has been fundamental to increasing trade volume.
In the first quarter of 2025, global trade reached a total value of $202.52 billion, reflecting a 13.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Exports rose to $102.84 billion, up 10.6%, while imports saw a sharper rise of 17.0%, reaching $99.68 billion. By April 15, total trade value had further expanded to $237.97 billion, marking an overall year-on-year growth of 16.5%. However, despite the robust trade activity, the trade surplus for the January to April period was recorded at $3.8 billion, a 58.2% drop from the previous year—highlighting the faster pace of import growth relative to exports.
The electronics industry is still one of the leading sectors driving Vietnam's export growth. In the computer, electronic goods, and component exports industries, there was a sharp increase in revenue to 29.26 billion dollars which corresponds with 36.2% raise from the previous years quarter over quarter. This sector also contributed about 21% of Vietnam’s total export value emphasizing its growing importance to Vietname’s trade performance.
During the initial three months of 2025, Vietnam's agriculture and forestry industries continued to substantially sustain dominant export earnings reaching $8.86 billon dollars . Similarly, fisheries supplements pulled in over $2 billion which added weight to their claim regarding Vietnam’s structured economy. These economies continue to help sustain rural economies while being crutial for Vietnam's international trade posture.
$3.8 billion US dollars is what was reported as surplus by Vietnamese authorities in trade balance with surenkaunt onal accounts during Janurary and April of 2025. The number althoguh encouraging reflects significantly subseady drop reported when compared to same period last year standing at -58%. Slowing surplus economy lacks manufactaring capacity due faster pace Greater need hike for imported goods including raw materials for production oness cap extended.
Vietnam’s trade relations with some of its world partners improved remarkably in 2025. Exports to the United States surpassed $12 billion in April alone representing a strong growth of 34% over the previous year. This increase helped nearly expand trade surplus with US by 25 percent during the first four months of this year, showing how important the American market is becoming in Vietnam's export economy. On the imports side , China still preserved its position as Vietnam's largest supplier with imports more than $15 billion in April 2025, growing by 31% over last year's figure. This shows once again China's importance in terms of providing materials, equipment and electronics for Vietnam's manufacturing industry.
This year, it looks like Vietnam's trade increase is being driven by strong performances in key industries. Particularly, the tech and electronics sectors are at the forefront with their exports of computers and other electronic goods exceeding $29.26 billion between January and April, marking an astounding 36.2% growth from the previous year. With this growth, Vietnam now supplements 21% of the country’s exports reinforcing further its electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
Recovery for the machinery and equipment has also begun as global supply realignments proceed. As shown in Vietnam customs export numbers, the country is still positioning itself as a principal assembly hub sited in Southeast Asia for electronic and industrial machinery goods.
From agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture sector, there was steady export growth for the first quarter of 2025. The total exported values of Agriculture and Forestry products reached 8.86 billion dollars which indicates a steadily increasing trend . Export figure of Aquatic products grew significantly too amounting to $2.31 billion indicating recovering demand globally from declines previously witnessed during the prior year. All these sectors highlight how diverse and resilient Vietnam’s export portfolio is
Vietnam's trading partners in 2025 are still China and the US. They each have their own distinct influence in trade with Vietnam. Exports to The United States had exceeded $12 billion in April alone which is a staggering 34% increase year on year . This surge was one of the factors for a 25% growth of trade surplus Vietnam had with US from January to April. This ensures that the demand for goods produced by Vietnam is rising greatly. In contrast, China remained Vietnam's largest importer. By April 2025, shipments had surpassed $15 billion which is a 31% growth compared to last year. China's role as the primary provider of raw materials and components is still crucial fo Vietnam’s manufacturing and exporting industries.
Electronics and Components also marked the 29.26 billion dollar milestone for Vietnam’s exports in the first quarter of 2025. This also earns them the top spot for Vietnam's export industries. Phones and Accessories contributed an additional $18.4 billion too, marking a 5.5% growth from the past year . The Textiles and Apparel sector recorded $11.6 billion in exports which marked an increase of 8.4%. Footwear exports reached $5.3 billion which is up 3.2%. Agricultural products contributed $8.9 billion growing at 2.9%, while Aquatic Products showed a moderate but positive growth rate .
As of 2024, Vietnam’s imports and exports showcase their growing mettle in international trade and manufacturing. Electronics, machinery, textiles, plastics, and fuel minerals were among the most imported items. This reflects the country’s industrial needs as well as its production capacity. Vietnam also featured a wide range of goods to export—including electronics and agricultural products—placing the country among leaders in global trade alongside other exporting countries like China.
With these developments along with others, it comes at no surprise that by 2028 Vietnam will have solidified itself as an emerging powerhouse on the global stage. Based on Vietnam's trade statistics and customs data for 2024, both import and export figures were highest under electronics and electrical equipment (HS code 85). In Q1 FY 2025 alone, electronics imports reached an astounding $116.54 billion while exports slightly exceeded that number reaching upwards of $121.7 billion displaying how crucial this sector is for the economy.
In terms of imports and exports, the overall value of Machine industry alone comes to $29.10 billion as an import and $23.50 billion worth export; this is recorded under the HS code 84 category which includes machinery and mechanical devices and appliances. Footwear, standing in second place with a notable earning of $25.40 billion as measured under HS code sixty four still lags behind the edge of earnings gained from imports. Plastics and plastic products stand in the third position sparing USD 16.48 billion as recorded under hs code thirty nine for importing them further. Knit apparel (hs code 61) along with Non-knit apparel (hs code 62) gave $21.20 billion and $19.70 billion respectively making Vietnam to earn revenue via exporting.
However, other imported goods that were equally essential included mineral fuels and oils (HS CODE 27) at $16:03 billion, iron and steel (HS Code 72) at $12:21 billion, vehicles (HS Code 87) at 7:22 million USD. Of major importance also were Optical and medical instruments (HS Code 90), usd 7:12 million worth of imports was significant by economic measure for Vietnam adding on trade prestige Surgical garments alongside knitted or crocheted fabrics like hats (Hs codes 60) stood out as small yet instrumental within manufacturing striding forward open hand towards research & development growth fueling into self sufficient production around USD4-6billion crossing borders directly bolstering economical expansion all together alongside cereals grains bottom valuing getting suggested priced off roughly around four bil .
In export sales, furniture and bedding (HS code 94) sold for $14.2 billion while fish and seafood (HS code 03) earned $9.8 billion. Other notable exports included wood and wooden products (HS code 44) at $6.5 billion, coffee, tea, and spices (HS code 09) at $5.6 billion and rubber and its products (HS code 40) regained $4.3 billion. The variety of goods illustrates that Vietnam sustained its foreign trade in strategically important commodities with a profound balance between importing vital goods and exporting sought-after merchandise worldwide.
The top ten trade partners of Vietnam significantly impact the economic advancement and international trade activities of the Southeast Asian nation. Those countries can help improve business relations, promote industrialization, and enhance Vietnam’s global economic integration. Blended with a strong network of alliances and strategic partnerships, Vietnam is joining actively in global trading opportunities.
Countries like China, the United States, Japan, South Korea as well as Germany stand out as having most significance to Vietnam from trade perspectives marking a broad spectrum of international collaboration. As reported by Vietnam customs data, the USA is Vietnam’s largest partner by export off taker for export products such as textiles, electronics and furniture. On the other side of the trade relationship China currently holds number one position as Vietnam’s biggest import supplier by providing essential raw material including imported parts and machinery ,as reflected on Vietnam import export data provider.
According to this document regarding Vietnam shipment records along with trade statistics for year 2024 containing particulars of imports and exports for each country we may derive that China ,united states, south Korea ,Japan ,Hong Kong ,taiwan,thailand,geremany ,India, and Netherlands remains key trading partners . These supports alongside each other showcase advancements on trading while ensuring their economic flexibility further achieving deft balance to Vietnam economy.
Vietnam’s international trade has been booming for the past ten years. In 2015, Vietnam's imports were at $165.77 billion and exports weren’t far behind at $162.01 billion. In 2016, Vietnam reported a positive trade balance with $174.97 billion in imports and greater than $176.58 billion in exports. This positive trend continued in 2017 where exports rose to $215.11 billion while imports were slightly lesser at $213.21 billion.
From 2018 through to 2019, trade activity further accelerated with exports hitting $243.69 billion and later on reaching busting figure of $264.61 billion; simultaneously imports stood at low figures of$236.86 and jumping to $253.44 billion respectively .Although globally, there were some disruptions due to the pandemic in 2020, Vietnam maintained growth recording over $281billion in exported goods versus their import figure of roughly 260 billion.
In the years preceding it however saw an increase aiding to those numbers along with reporting’s on their ever-increasing trade gap so steep in fact by numbers such as Imports being reported at 332 billion versus exporting figure of 336 billion alongside greatly surpassing these suggestive estimates in upcoming year storing up to370 diverse goods soaring far beyond reigning competition close to359billion falling within precedented predictions. Investopedia released these statistics during mid-year draft so foreseeing nearly 353 bllllion ended retransferring near326 bill but offering great assistance quotes digital tracker set supported that current export rating has reached stunning accomplishments wrong direction was eye tempting.
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Despite Vietnam’s remarkable trade performance in recent years, the country continues to face several challenges that could impact its future growth trajectory. One major concern is the potential imposition of U.S. tariffs of up to 46% on key Vietnamese exports, which could significantly affect trade flows to its largest export market. To counter this risk, the Vietnamese government is actively working to address issues related to transshipment and origin certification, aiming to strengthen compliance and avoid trade penalties.
Looking ahead, Vietnam has set an ambitious target of 8% GDP growth for 2025, up from its previous projection of 6.5%–7%, along with a projected 12% increase in both imports and exports. The government’s continued emphasis on industrial manufacturing and attracting foreign investment is expected to play a key role in maintaining this economic momentum. However, several structural challenges remain. Trade fraud and scrutiny over origin labeling and transshipment practices pose reputational and regulatory risks. The country’s trade surplus has also seen a sharp decline—dropping by 58.2% year-on-year—indicating growing pressure from rising imports. Furthermore, Vietnam remains heavily reliant on the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector, with over 70% of its exports coming from foreign-invested enterprises. While FDI continues to drive industrial growth, this dependence raises concerns about long-term sustainability and domestic value creation.
Vietnam's macroeconomic goal for 2025 has been adjusted based on the strong development of its trade and the entire economy in the last few years. The nation lifted its GDP growth goal from 6.5%–7.0% to 8.0%, reflecting increased confidence in maintaining economic growth. Similarly, the goal of import-export growth is set from 10% to 12%, which indicates the expectation of larger international trade scale. Manufacturing output targets are also increased from 7.5% to 9%, demonstrating an increased emphasis on manufacturing and industrial development. In the meantime, Vietnam has finalized the target of 40 billion USD in foreign investment for 2021, higher than the set goal of 36 billion USD, thus affirming its role as one of the most attractive investment destinations for investors across the world.
Vietnam is actively pursuing a number of strategic trade initiatives to build on this momentum and address potential risks. These alternatives consist in diversifying export markets with new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other regions including Latin America, Europe and Africa. The country is also looking to expand the local value by adding value to the local production especially in the fields of electronics and high-tech manufacturing. At the same time, the rapid growth of digital trade, a result of exports through e-commerce platforms, are the new trends in Vietnam's trade structure.
By April 15, 2025, Vietnam's trade turnover stood at $237.97 billion. Only in the Q1 2025 was the turnover at the level of 202.52 billion USD what makes an increase by 13.7% compared to the previous year! The value of goods that the country exported amounted to $102.84 billion, an increase of 10.6%, while the value of goods that the country imported grew 17% to reach $99.68 billion. Vietnam's turnover was just over 35.44 billion dollars in the first half of April. But the trade surplus for January to April came in at $3.8 billion, a steep 58.2% drop from the same period in the prior year—indicating growing import demand and changes to trade flows.
A series of record-high levels in Vietnam’s trade in recent years has been a clear indication of its transfer from being a low-priced production base to a mature and strategically important hub in the global trade system. The said process is nothing but the mirror of the ascending economic conditions of the country and its competition on the basis of value, not just cost. Nevertheless, the higher level of the situation enforces the necessity of more advanced policy measures. The smart application of tariff systems, observance of regulations, and intensified habit of locals using locally made raw materials for production are unavoidable to keep up the growth pace and handle the pressure of emerging dangers. Although the shrinking trade surplus poses a challenge, the staggering increase in imports shows that the industrial sector is rapidly growing and that there is an increase in production capacity. Thus, this seemingly problematic situation unfolds new perspectives for growth and lasting prosperity.
Vietnam’s remarkable trade performance in 2025 is no coincidence—it’s the outcome of strategic economic liberalization, smart global positioning, and proactive engagement in international markets. As the global landscape becomes more complex due to rising geopolitical tensions and growing trade protectionism, Vietnam must continue to adapt. The focus going forward should be on diversifying export markets, advancing technological capabilities, and capturing a greater share of the value chain. 2025 marks a pivotal moment for Vietnam’s trade story, and the actions taken now will shape the country’s economic trajectory for the next decade.
Looking ahead, Vietnam’s import-export industry is set to play a vital role in driving national growth, generating employment, and reinforcing the country's reputation as a dependable and forward-looking trade partner.
We hope you found this comprehensive report on Vietnam’s 2025 trade turnover both insightful and informative. For more detailed analysis, custom reports, and access to reliable Vietnam import-export data and global trade intelligence, connect with Cypher Exim. Get a tailored Vietnam customs data report and discover top Vietnamese exporters to grow your business today. Contact us at sales@cypherexim.com or visit www.cypherexim.com to learn more.
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