Despite an overall export decline due to the shortage of orders, foreign direct invested (FDI) businesses still posted more than US$14 billion in trade surplus in the first four months, further affirming their role as the main growth driver of the economy.

Trade turnover totalled $206.8 billion during January-April, down 15.3 per cent year-on-year, with those of FDI and domestic businesses at more than $144 billion and $62.74 billion, respectively, dropping 15.1 per cent and 15.8 per cent, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

The slow global economic recovery and tightened monetary policies in many countries have lowered the consumption demand in some major partners of Việt Nam, leading to decreases in orders and a 13 per cent fall in the four-month export revenue.

However, the FDI sector still recorded a trade surplus of nearly $14.2 billion as a result of $79.1 billion in exports, down 12.4 per cent, and $64.9 billion in imports, down 18.3 per cent. Meanwhile, the domestic one saw a trade deficit of $8 billion.