Viet Nam had a trade surplus of US$2.59 billion from the beginning of 2016 until December 15, according to the General Department of Customs.

However, in the first half of this month, the nation had a trade deficit of $288 million.

The general department said Viet Nam had a total trade value of $333.06 billion from the early this year to December 15, a year on year increase of 6.4 per cent.

The national export value from January 1 to December 1 rose by 8.5 per cent year-on-year to $167.83 billion, including $7.9 billion in first half of December that reduced by 7.2 per cent against the same period of November.

Of which, foreign invested enterprises, which hold 70.3 per cent of the national export value, achieved a year-on-year growth of 11.5 per cent in total export value to $117.99 billion since the early this year until December 15, reported chinhphu.vn.

Many products saw growth in export value from January 1 to December 15, including textile and garments (1.5 per cent), vegetable and fruits (19.8 per cent), rice (43 per cent) and coffee (24.5 per cent).

Meanwhile, some others at the same period faced reduction in export value, such as transport vehicles and their components (20.1 per cent), crude oil (55.1 per cent), other equipment, machines, components and tools (12.7 per cent), telephone and its components (16 per cent).

The general department of customs also said the total import value of Viet Nam from January 1 to December 15 reached $165.23 billion, 4.3 per cent higher than the same period of last year. Of which, the total import value in the first half of December was $8.19 billion, a light reduction of 0.6 per cent compared with the first half of November.

Foreign invested enterprises saw a year-on-year surge of 4.5 per cent in total import value at $97.52 billion since the early this year to December 15, including $4.78 billion in the first half of this month.

In the same period, products showing import growth included maize (68.8 per cent), soy beans (four times) and machines, equipment and components (3.2 per cent).

Certain other products saw reduction in import value, such as wheat (50.3 per cent), animal feed and material for animal feed (18.6 per cent). — VNS