Vietnam’s 11-month exports hit $430bn, trade surplus tops $20bn

The report shows that the combined value of exports and imports in January-November reached $839.75 billion, marking a 17.2-percent year-on-year increase and exceeding the total of $786.2 billion for the whole of 2024.

Exports alone rose by 16.1 percent from a year earlier to about $430.14 billion, while imports reached $409.61 billion, an 18.4-percent rise, leading to a trade surplus of $20.53 billion.

The surge in imports reflects sustained demand for raw materials, components, and investment goods needed to support export-oriented production.

Of the total export earnings, domestic businesses contributed 23.8 percent, or around $102.41 billion, while enterprises with foreign direct investment (FDI) made up 76.2 percent, or about $327.73 billion.

Compared to the same period of 2024, the export turnover of the domestic sector declined by 1.7 percent, while the FDI sector grew by 23.1 percent.

Vietnam’s export structure in the 11 months was dominated by processed industrial goods, which accounted for about $381.72 billion, or 88.7 percent of total exports.

The country’s top export market remained the U.S., with exports reaching $138.6 billion during the period.

Meanwhile, China retained its position as Vietnam’s largest source of imports, with purchases worth $167.5 billion.

Beyond trade, the report highlighted other economic bright spots, noting that total foreign investment registered in Vietnam during the period reached approximately $33.6 billion, up 7.4 percent year on year.

Amid strong economic activity, state budget revenues totaled nearly VND2.4 quadrillion ($91 billion), achieving 121.9 percent of the year’s plan and rising by 30.9 percent from a year earlier.

International arrivals to Vietnam in the first 11 months of 2025 were estimated at 19.15 million, up 20.9 percent year on year, with November alone recording 1.98 million visitors, a 15.6-percent climb.

The period also saw nearly 178,000 new businesses registered nationwide, a rise of 20.9 percent from a year earlier, with total registered capital reaching more than VND1.75 quadrillion ($63.3 billion), also up 20.9 percent.

These enterprises registered around one million employees, a 16-percent rise from the previous year.

The average registered capital per newly established enterprise during the period stood at VND9.8 billion, unchanged from the same period in 2024.