The Africa, West Asia and South Asia Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said the country’s exports to West Asia alone rose by 69.7% to US$5.4 billion.
Key export markets included the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey and Saudi Arabia which made up US$3.5 billion, US$998 million and US$433 million, respectively.
Exports to South Asia grew by 37.9%, earning US$2.04 billion from India, US$399 million from Bangladesh and US$139 million from Pakistan.
Exports to Africa reached US$1.6 billion, up 7.1%. Four key export markets are South Africa (US$646 million), Ivory Coast (US$233 million), Ghana (US$210 million) and Egypt (US$182 million).
Products of high export value were mobile phones, rubber, fibre, coffee, seafood and computers.
Vietnam’s imports in the reviewed period were at a lower level than in exports. But its trade turnover was higher, for instance US$429 million from Africa (up 53.4%), US$2.3 billion from South Asia (up 20.1%), and US$2.2 billion from West Asia (up 20.9%).
Key imported products were oil and related products, animal food and cotton.
