Clothes were manufactured at Gia Dinh Garment and Textile Company in HCM City for export to many markets, including UAE. Viet Nam's export in the first seven months to UAE was up 111 per cent. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vu

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Viet Nam's exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) topped US$2.29 billion in the past seven months, up 111 per cent against the same time last year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Africa-Western Asia-Southern Asia Department.

Cell phones and spare parts showed the strongest turnover at $1.92 billion, surging 164.5 per cent year-on-year and accounting for 84 per cent of the total Vietnamese exports to the market.

This was followed by computers, electronic products and spare parts, garments, rice, wood and wood products.

During the reviewed period, Viet Nam's imports from the Emirates hit only $204 million.

The UAE is now Viet Nam's largest trade partner in West Asia and its 17th largest export market in the world.

Two-way trade has increased from $550 million in 2008 to $2.38 billion in 2012.

Advantages in agriculture, food processing, aquaculture and seafood enabled Viet Nam to effectively co-operate with the UAE to ensure food security, the department said.

Viet Nam provides the UAE with products such as rice, fish, meat, coffee, dates, food and traditional beverage products.

Recently, many UAE firms have also shown interest in investing in Viet Nam. — VNS