During January-July, Viet Nam's total exports and imports hit US$514.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 16.3 percent. The trade surplus was estimated at US$10.18 billion.

Of the above figure the nation gained US$262.44 billion from exporting, up 14.8 percent against the same period last year.

The foreign direct investment (FDI) sector was the main driving force, recording the export value of US$194.96 billion, up 17.9 percent and accounting for 74.3 percent of total export turnover.

The export value of domestic economic sector reached US$67.48 billion, up 6.7 percent and accounting for 25.7 percent.

Viet Nam had 28 products with export turnover exceeding US$1 billion each (accounting for 91.7 percent of total exports), including nine items surpassing the US$5 billion mark (accounting for 72.3 percent).

By category, processed industrial goods continued to hold the largest share with US$232.37 billion, making up 88.6 percent. It was followed by agricultural and forestry products with US$22.4 billion, accounting for 8.5 percent; seafood US$6.08 billion, making up 2.3 percent; and fuels and minerals US$1.59 billion, accounting for 0.6 percent.

Meanwhile, the Southeast Asian nation spent US$252.26 billion on imports, up 17.9 percent. China was Viet Nam's largest supplier of goods in seven months with US$101.5 billion.

In the reviewed period, the country enjoyed trade surpluses with the U.S. (US$74.6 billion), EU (US$22.3 billion) and Japan (US$1.3 billion) and announced trade deficits with China (US$66.5 billion), South Korea (US$17.4 billion) and ASEAN (US$8.5 billion)./.