HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s export earnings grew by 14.8 per cent to US$262.4 billion in the first seven months of this year, while its import turnover rose by 17.9 per cent to $252.3 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $10.2 billion, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported on Wednesday.

The country's total import-export turnover reached $514.7 billion in the period, marking an increase of 16.3 per cent year-on-year.

The domestic economic sector posted a growth rate of 6.7 per cent to $67.5 billion in exports, while the foreign-invested sector, including crude oil, increased by 17.9 per cent to nearly $195 billion.

The exports of processed industrial goods stood at $232.4 billion, accounting for 88.6 per cent of the total export turnover. Agricultural and forestry products reached $22.4 billion, accounting for 8.5 per cent; aquatic products $6.1 billion or 2.3 per cent; and fuel and mineral products $1.6 billion, making up 0.6 per cent.

Meanwhile, the imports of production materials were estimated at $236.6 billion, making up 93.8 per cent of the total import turnover. Consumer goods hit $15.7 billion, accounting for 6.2 per cent. 

Việt Nam ran a trade surplus of $22.3 billion with the EU in the first seven months, marking a 9.9 per cent increase year-on-year, while the surplus with Japan rose 21 per cent to $1.3 billion.

China remained Việt Nam’s largest import market in the preriod, with turnover reaching $101.5 billion. Việt Nam recorded a trade deficit of $66.5 billion with the neighbouirng country, up 41 per cent year-on-year.

The trade deficit with the Republic of Korea stood at $17.4 billion, slightly down 0.2 per cent, while the deficit with ASEAN rose sharply by 63 per cent to $8.5 billion. — VNS