Vietnam-US bilateral trade tops US$15 bln in 2008 despite crisis

Hanoi (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Two-way trade between Vietnam and the US amounted to nearly US$15.3 billion in 2008, an increase of 23.61 per cent compared with the previous year, according to official figures released recently by the US Department of Commerce (DoC). 

Last year, Vietnam's export turnover to the US amounted to US$12.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.6 per cent while the country's import value from the US reached US$2.7 billion, up by 46.6 per cent compared with 2007.

Vietnamese products obtaining high export growth to the US market were textile and garment items, with export value of US$5.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.97 percent; wood products at US$1.5 billion, up by 18.5 per cent; and footwear at US$1.2 billion for an increase of 17.5 percent over 2007.