Two-way turnover between Viet Nam and Canada reached US$4.14 billion last year, a 1.1 per cent increase year-on-year. — Photo Tran Viet

Viet Nam remained the fifth biggest exporter to Canada from Asia in 2016, after China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan.

The country also led the ASEAN in a two-way turnover with Canada at US$4.14 billion last year, a 1.1 per cent increase year-on-year, according to the Statistics Canada.

Viet Nam’s exports to Canada touched $3.7 billion (up 17.1 per cent), while its import turnover dropped to $396.5 million (down 23.2 per cent). As a result, Viet Nam’s trade surplus with Canada grew to $3.3 billion in 2016, up 24.7 per cent compared to the previous year.

Hoang Anh Dung, the Vietnamese commercial counsellor to Canada, said the country’s exports to Canada were satisfactory considering that the total export turnover of the 10 ASEAN countries to Canada only rose 2.8 per cent, and the ASEAN+6 saw negative export growth last year.

Exports from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines decreased by 2.3 per cent, 6.6 per cent, 5.4 per cent, 1.1 per cent and 8.1 per cent, respectively.

Among Viet Nam’s commodities shipped to Canada, the highest growth was seen in machines, electric and electronic products, suitcases, handbags and sports equipment.

The country’s import turnover in coal, timber and wooden products from Canada soared, while cereal and fertiliser imports saw strong decline. — VNS