A trade surplus of US$2.06 billion was registered by Vietnam in the first 11 months of 2014 as exports surged, according to the Ministry of Trade, citing data from the General Statistics Office.
Total export value over the period rose 13.7% to $137 billion, of which the state and foreign-invested sectors contributed $44.8 billion, up 13%, and $92.2 billion, up 14.1%, respectively.
Key commodities maintained robust export growth pace, with garments earning $19.2 billion, up 18.2%, followed by footwear with $9.2 billion, up 23%, and aquatic products with $7.3 billion, up 20.2%.
The U.S. remained the country’s largest importer with $26.2 billion, up 21.3%, followed by the EU with $24.8 billion, up 11.4%. Imports by the country’s neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) registered at $17.3 billion, up 3%, and China at $13.5 billion, up 13.1%.
For November alone, export turnover stood at $13.2 billion, down 6.2% compared to the previous month and up 10.6% against the same period last year.
On the country’s import records, total import value in the first 11 months was estimated at $135 billion, up 12.6% compared to the same period last year. Of the figure, the foreign-invested sector contributed $76.7.
Importation of machines, devices, and spare parts jumped 21.1% to $20.5 billion, followed by clothing with $8.7 billion, up 14.6%, and oil and gas with $7.2 billion, up 13.9%.
Vietnam’s major suppliers included China ($39.9 billion), ASEAN ($20.9 billion), and South Korea ($19.8 billion).
The nation’s import turnover in November dipped 4.1% to $13.5 billion.
HCMC’s FDIs balloon 194%
Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) attracted 370 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with a total capital of $2.78 billion over the past 11 months of 2014, up 194.6% in capital from the same period last year, said the Ministry of Trade. Remarkably, Samsung Electronics invested $1.4 billion in the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
According to the city’s report on its socioeconomic performance from January to November, it earned $31.204 billion from exports, up 9.89%, of which the state sector made up 55.98% and the foreign-invested sector accounted for the rest.
Sharp increases were witnessed in exports to Singapore (up 191.3%), South Korea (up 71%), Hong Kong (up 175.5%), Taiwan (up 371%), Indonesia (up 66.4%), Switzerland (up 136.6%), and Denmark (up 132.6%).
The city’s import turnover in the 11-month period totaled $33.484 billion, up 8.71%.
Some 22,026 businesses were established during the period, with a total capital of VND118.32 billion (US$5.53 million). An additional capital of VND133.923 billion was poured into 36,001 enterprises. Total registered and additional capital obtained by the city reached VND252.243 billion, up 15.4%.
Photo: Nic saigon
