Vietnam imported goods worth US$16.46 billion from China in September 2025, a modest 0.29 percent increase from August, according to Vietnam’s General Department of Customs.
Year-to-date imports reached US$134.4 billion, reaffirming China’s role as Vietnam’s largest and most critical trading partner.
Key imports
Electronics and manufacturing inputs continued to dominate.
Computers, electrical products and spare parts were the largest import category at US$4.85 billion, slightly down 0.83 percent month-on-month.
Machinery and equipment followed at US$3.40 billion, down 2.18 percent, while telephones and parts climbed 7.97 percent to US$1.01 billion.
Imports of fabrics and plastic products rose 7.30 and 2.22 percent respectively, indicating stable demand from Vietnam’s garment and packaging industries.
Sectors tied to construction and heavy manufacturing showed mixed trends.
Iron and steel products dipped 2.02 percent while other base metal products surged 9.40 percent.
Imports of chemicals and chemical products grew modestly by 4.16 percent, suggesting steady industrial activity despite higher input costs.
Motor vehicles and parts rose sharply by 33.99 and 25.16 percent respectively, pointing to rising domestic demand and expanded logistics capacity.
Smaller but notable categories included fertilisers, wood products, paper, and fishery products, each contributing to Vietnam’s diversified import structure.
Meanwhile, imports of liquefied petroleum gas and other means of transportation declined significantly.
China remains Vietnam’s most significant supplier of intermediate goods, underpinning key domestic sectors from electronics assembly and textiles to automotive production.
Vietnam imports from China in September 2025, US$millions
| September | August | MoM | YTD | |
| Total | 16,458.59 | 16,411.41 | 0.29% | 134,412.96 |
| Computers, electrical products, spare-parts and components thereof | 4,848.29 | 4,889.01 | -0.83% | 38,372.81 |
| Machine, equipment, tools and instruments | 3,400.98 | 3,476.92 | -2.18% | 28,183.26 |
| Telephones, mobile phones and parts thereof | 1,008.12 | 933.70 | 7.97% | 7,078.65 |
| Fabrics | 876.87 | 817.20 | 7.30% | 7,683.16 |
| Other products | 750.19 | 730.00 | 2.77% | 6,352.21 |
| Plastic products | 632.61 | 618.90 | 2.22% | 4,934.06 |
| Iron and steel products | 540.29 | 551.46 | -2.02% | 4,293.11 |
| Textile, leather and footwear materials | 396.24 | 374.89 | 5.69% | 3,214.92 |
| Other base metal products | 390.20 | 356.66 | 9.40% | 2,987.05 |
| Iron and steel | 380.80 | 457.80 | -16.82% | 4,097.30 |
| Plastics | 328.01 | 323.97 | 1.25% | 2,852.82 |
| Chemical products | 298.25 | 286.33 | 4.16% | 2,451.34 |
| Other base metals | 288.29 | 306.24 | -5.86% | 2,634.67 |
| Chemicals | 284.37 | 292.24 | -2.69% | 2,641.36 |
| Insulated wires and cables | 257.28 | 274.10 | -6.14% | 2,302.02 |
| Parts and accessories of motor vehicles | 236.28 | 188.78 | 25.16% | 1,597.33 |
| Yarn | 157.49 | 163.63 | -3.75% | 1,426.69 |
| Motor vehicles | 142.61 | 106.44 | 33.99% | 1,131.54 |
| Still image, video cameras and parts thereof | 136.06 | 136.53 | -0.34% | 1,023.95 |
| Fertilizers | 125.87 | 139.50 | -9.77% | 805.31 |
| Wood and wooden products | 108.19 | 105.38 | 2.66% | 944.56 |
| Paper products | 96.95 | 92.38 | 4.94% | 719.41 |
| Fruits and vegetables | 94.62 | 83.33 | 13.55% | 668.64 |
| Electric consumer products and parts thereof | 87.23 | 80.27 | 8.66% | 747.59 |
| Glass and glassware | 84.85 | 80.30 | 5.66% | 684.44 |
Balance of trade
Of note, Vietnam’s trade with China reached US$24.08 billion in September 2025, up 2.84 percent from August.
Imports totalled US$16.46 billion, up 0.29 percent month-on-month, while exports climbed 8.82 percent to US$7.62 billion.
Vietnam’s trade deficit with China narrowed by 6.06 percent from the previous month to US$8.84 billion, though the year-to-date gap remained large at US$84.79 billion.
Vietnam – China balance of trade September 2025
| September | August | MoM | YTD | |
| Imports | 16,458.59 | 16,411.41 | 0.29% | 134,412.96 |
| Exports | 7,618.63 | 7,001.30 | 8.82% | 49,624.26 |
| Total | 24,077.21 | 23,412.71 | 2.84% | 184,037.22 |
| Balance (Vietnam) | -8,839.96 | -9,410.10 | -6.06% | -84,788.70 |