HANOI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam reaped export turnovers of over 100.7 billion US dollars in the first five months of this year, seeing a year-on-year increase of 6.7 percent, while making import turnovers of nearly 101.3 billion US dollars, up 10.3 percent, its General Statistics Office said on Wednesday.

(File photo: VCG)

Specifically, Vietnam gained 19.9 billion US dollars from exporting phones and their components, up 3 percent; 12.3 billion US dollars from computers and components, up 11.1 percent; 12.1 billion US dollars from garments and textiles, up 10.3 percent; and 7.1 billion US dollars from footwear, up 14.3 percent.

Between January and May, the United States remained Vietnam's biggest importer with turnovers of 22.6 billion US dollars, tailed by the European Union with 17.3 billion US dollars, and China with 13.4 billion US dollars, the office said.

In the same period, Vietnam spent 19.8 billion US dollars on importing electronic appliances and components, up 17.3 percent; 14.8 billion US dollars on machines, equipment and spare parts, up 14.9 percent; 5.4 billion US dollars on cloth, up 5.8 percent; and 4.1 billion US dollars on iron and steel, up 0.7 percent.

Meanwhile, China was Vietnam's largest exporter with turnovers of 29.6 billion US dollars, up 18.9 percent, followed by South Korea with 19.2 billion US dollars, up 1.1 percent, and the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) with 13.9 billion US dollars, up 9.3 percent, according to the office.

Vietnam reaped export turnovers of over 243.5 billion US dollars in 2018, up 13.2 percent against 2017, and import turnovers of 236.7 billion US dollars, up 11.1 percent, seeing a trade surplus of 6.8 billion US dollars.