Vietnam posted total trade revenue of $497.66 billion in the first nine months of this year, down 11 per cent against the same period last year, figures from the General Statistics Office (GSO) reveal.

Exports totaled $259.67 billion, a year-on-year decline of 8.2 per cent, while imports were $237.99 billion, down 13.8 per cent.

This saw the country post a trade surplus of $21.68 billion in the period.

In September, total trade value was estimated at $60.53 billion, a 2.5 per cent fall against August, but a 3.6 per cent increase year-on-year.

Thirty-one products posted export revenue in excess of $1 billion in the nine-month period, accounting for 92.2 per cent of the country’s total. Six posted turnover of $10 billion or more, or 62.2 per cent of the total.

The US remained Vietnam’s largest export market, with total turnover of $70.9 billion, while China was its largest import source, with $79.1 billion.