According to the latest report by the General Statistics Office (GSO) released on February 6, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover in January 2025 reached USD 63.15 billion, recording a trade surplus of USD 3.03 billion.
Slight Decline but Continued Trade Surplus of USD 3.03 Billion
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In January 2025, Vietnam’s total import-export value stood at USD 63.15 billion, down 10.5% from the previous month and 3.5% year-on-year.
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Exports decreased by 4.3%.
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Imports fell by 2.6%.
→ Resulting in a trade surplus of USD 3.03 billion.
Exports
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Export turnover reached USD 33.09 billion, down 6.9% month-on-month and 4.3% year-on-year.
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The manufacturing and processing sector contributed USD 29.43 billion, accounting for 89% of total exports.
Imports
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Imports totaled USD 30.06 billion, down 14.1% month-on-month and 2.6% year-on-year.
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Capital goods accounted for 94% of total imports (USD 28.26 billion).
Trade Partners
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The United States remained Vietnam’s largest export market, with USD 9.8 billion in turnover.
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China continued as Vietnam’s largest import source, with USD 11.6 billion in trade value.
The domestic sector posted a trade deficit of USD 1.4 billion, while the foreign-invested sector (including crude oil)achieved a surplus of USD 4.43 billion.
Trade Activity Resumes Strongly After Lunar New Year
After a record-breaking year in 2024, Vietnam’s trade activity slightly slowed in January 2025, partly due to the Lunar New Year (Tết Ất Tỵ) holidays. However, import-export operations quickly rebounded right after the holiday period.
On February 5, trade activities officially resumed at the Km3+4 Hải Yên temporary pontoon bridge border gate in Móng Cái City.
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By 9:00 a.m. the same day, customs officials had processed 47 export declarations, covering 96 trucks with a total volume of 2,374 tons, valued at USD 2.3 million.
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Key exports included fresh fruit, frozen fish and shrimp, live lobsters, live clams, and cassava starch.
Before that, the Bắc Luân II Border Gate resumed pre-scheduled clearance from January 31 to February 4 (the 3rd–7th days of the Lunar New Year). As of February 5, all border gates and crossings in Móng Cái City were back to full operation.
In January 2025, total trade value at Móng Cái Border Gate reached USD 234.7 million, up 53% year-on-year, including USD 133.18 million in exports and USD 101.56 million in imports.
The number of active trading companies increased by 46, bringing the total to 352 enterprises.
At other major border crossings such as Lào Cai and Lạng Sơn, clearance activities remained continuous or resumed immediately after the holidays.
Durian and Textiles Lead Export Momentum
Durian exports continue to shine, despite temporary challenges from new inspection regulations imposed by China.
According to Mr. Nguyễn Đình Tùng, CEO of Vina T&T Group, the company exports about 320 tons of durian and nearly 500 tons of coconuts monthly, alongside 3–4 containers of longan and 7–9 containers of dragon fruit weekly.
Since January 10, China has required O-yellow compound testing for all durian shipments from Vietnam and Thailand — a substance linked to cancer risk. Only Chinese-approved laboratories are authorized to conduct this test.
By late January, China approved nine Vietnamese testing facilities. Vietnam is now negotiating to expand the list of recognized labs to facilitate smoother clearance.
Meanwhile, the textile and garment sector reported positive signs.
Mr. Thân Đức Việt, General Director of Garco 10 Corporation, shared that even during the Tết holidays, foreign buyers continued placing orders, ensuring full employment through Q2 2025.
For 2025, Garco 10 aims for double-digit growth, expanding exports to traditional markets (EU, U.S., Japan) and developing new ones across Asia, South Korea, and China.
Strong Start to 2025: Pushing for Export Growth
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) targets 12% export growth in 2025, equivalent to USD 451 billion in total export value.
To achieve this, export-oriented industries must accelerate early, leveraging market opportunities and maintaining production continuity.
Key government priorities for 2025 include:
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Administrative reform to support trade facilitation.
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Policy optimization to enhance import-export operations.
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Effective tariff quota management.
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Monitoring and early warning mechanisms for border trade.
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Stronger enforcement against origin fraud in exports.
At the first Government meeting of 2025, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính commended recent trade performance and directed ministries to promote balanced and sustainable trade relations with major partners.
He emphasized leveraging 17 signed FTAs and exploring new potential markets such as the Middle East, Halal economies, Latin America, and Africa, while advancing negotiations for new cooperation frameworks to sustain export growth.