Vietnam recorded an estimated two-way trade value of 152.65 billion U.S. dollars and a trade surplus of 2.03 billion dollars in the first quarter of this year, according to the country's General Statistics Office on Wednesday. Specifically, the country posted export revenues of 77.34 billion dollars and import revenues of 75.31 billion dollars, up 22 percent and 26.3 percent respectively against the same period last year, said the office. A total of 11 exporting items reported revenues of over 1 billion dollars, accounting for 76.6 percent of the total export value. Phones and components contributed the most with a revenue of 14.1 billion dollars.
The United States remained Vietnam's biggest importer with turnovers of 21.2 billion dollars, followed by China with 12.5 billion dollars and the European Union with 9.6 billion dollars, said the office. Meanwhile, 15 importing items posted revenues of over 1 billion dollars, accounting for 73.3 percent of the total import value. Electronic goods, computers and their components led the group of largest importing items with a revenue of 16.8 billion dollars, up 22 percent year on year, according to the office. China was Vietnam's largest exporter with turnovers of 23.8 billion dollars, followed by South Korea with 13 billion dollars and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with 9.3 billion dollars, according to the office.