Vietnam kicked off the year with a strong start in trade, exceeding US$63 billion in the first month

Import-export activities at Hai Phong port area. Photo: Thái Bình.

In January, Vietnam's export activity reached US$33.2 billion, representing a 6.6% decrease from the previous month and a 4% decline compared to January of the preceding year. Despite this overall contraction, several sectors demonstrated resilience and even growth.

Seven export categories achieved billion-dollar status during the month. Leading the pack were computers, electronic products, and components, registering a robust 13.3% year-on-year surge to over US$6 billion. This sector's strong performance underscores its crucial role in Vietnam's export portfolio.

Telephones and components occupied second place with US$4.83 billion, although this figure reflects a 13.2% dip. Machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts secured the third spot at US$3.86 billion, also experiencing a 4% decrease.

Beyond the top three, other billion-dollar export categories included textiles and garments, footwear, wood and wood products, and transportation vehicles and parts. Within this group, only textiles and garments showed modest growth of 1.8%, while the remaining sectors faced declines.

On the import side, January's value exceeded US$30 billion, down 14.1% from the previous month and 2.6% lower than the same period in 2024.

The year-on-year decline in both exports and imports for January can be attributed to the timing of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday. In 2025, Tet fell in January, whereas in 2024 it occurred in February. This shift in timing disrupted trade activities.

Despite the January fluctuations, Vietnam achieved a trade surplus of over US$3 billion.

Looking back at 2024, the nation's total import-export value reached a record US$786.29 billion, a substantial 15.4% (US$105.22 billion) increase from the previous year. Exports accounted for US$405.53 billion, a 14.3% (US$50.81 billion) rise, while imports totaled US$380.76 billion, a 16.7% (US$54.41 billion) increase."