Vietnam’s merchandise trade accelerated sharply in March 2026, with total exports and imports reaching US$93.55 billion, up 39.2 percent month on month and 23.9 percent year on year, according to the latest release from the National Statistics Office.
For the first quarter as a whole, total trade reached US$249.50 billion, an increase of 23.0 percent year on year, with exports rising 19.1 percent and imports increasing 27.0 percent, resulting in a trade deficit of US$3.64 billion.
Exports in March totalled US$46.44 billion, up 40.3 percent from February and 20.1 percent year on year, driven by strong growth in the foreign-invested sector.
The foreign-invested sector accounted for US$37.48 billion in exports, rising 36.5 percent year on year, while domestic exports fell 20.1 percent despite a monthly increase.
Imports reached US$47.11 billion in March, up 38.2 percent month on month and 27.8 percent year on year, reflecting strong demand for production inputs.
The foreign-invested sector led import growth with a 47.1 percent increase year on year, while the domestic sector declined 3.7 percent, highlighting continued divergence between the two segments.