Vietnam's H1 2025 tech imports already exceed all of 2020

Vietnam’s total imports for the first six months reached $212.2 billion, a significant 17.9% increase year-over-year, equivalent to a $32.25 billion rise. This is the highest half-year import value ever recorded, surpassing the total import turnover for the entire year of 2016.

Of the 53 major import categories, 40 registered growth compared to the same period in 2024, according to Vietnam Customs.

Leading this charge was the computers, electronic products, and components category. Imports for this group soared to $67.9 billion, a 37.2% increase (up $18.4 billion) from the same period of the previous year.

This single category now accounts for nearly 32% of the nation's total import value and, remarkably, has already exceeded its import total for the entire year of 2020.

Mainland China remained the largest supplier of these tech goods, with imports reaching $23.52 billion, a 46.5% jump. It was followed by South Korea at $17.45 billion (up 17.9%) and Taiwan (China), which saw a staggering 69.4% increase to $10.22 billion. Japan also contributed significantly with $3.69 billion in imports, a modest 1.9% rise.

The electronics sector's dominance extends to exports. In June 2025, exports of computers, electronic products, and components hit $9.27 billion, up 1.3% from the previous month, making it Vietnam's top export category.

This robust performance is especially critical as key agricultural exports like rice and coffee have seen sharp declines, reinforcing the electronics sector's role as a primary pillar of the economy.

As of the first half of 2025, Vietnam’s total export turnover reached $219.86 billion, marking a 14.5% increase—equivalent to a rise of $27.81 billion compared to the same period in the previous year.

Among the contributing sectors, computers, electronic products, and components made the largest contribution, with export value reaching $38.42 billion, up by $13.61 billion (a 40% increase) compared to the first half of 2024.