Home to over 98 million people in Southeast Asia, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam imported US$261.3 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 3.1% increase from $253.4 billion in 2019.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of Vietnam’s main imported products in 2020, categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

Vietnam has common land borders with other highly populated countries namely China to its north, and Laos and Cambodia to its west. In addition, Vietnam shares maritime boundaries with Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Data is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Vietnamese imports during 2020 for each of Vietnam’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for over four-fifths (81.8%) of total Vietnamese import purchases.

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Vietnamese imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Vietnam’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $84.2 billion or 32.2% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a 11.4% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 82.4% of Vietnam’s imports from the mainland China.

Electronic equipment: $35.2 billion
Machinery: $9.8 billion
Plastics: $5 billion
Knitted or crocheted fabric: $3.2 billion
Iron and steel: $2.47 billion
Iron or steel products: $2.46 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $1.7 billion
Man-made filaments: $1.5 billion
Aluminum: $1.4 billion
Man-made staple fibers: $1.38 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.3 billion
Other chemical goods: $1.1 billion
Cotton: $1 billion
Glass: $933.4 million
Paper: $906.7 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from China under the electronic equipment product category via a 35.6% gain in revenue, glass (up 31.5%), products made from iron or steel (up 24.9%), plastics as a material (up 20.3%) and paper (up 17%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -27%), cotton (down -23.9%), aluminum (down -21.7%) and man-made staple fibers (down -15.8%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from Korea

In 2020, South Korea’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $46.9 billion or 17.9% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a -0.2% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 91.3% of Vietnam’s imports from South Korea.

Electronic equipment: $26.6 billion
Plastics: $3.4 billion
Machinery: $2.8 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $2.7 billion
Iron and steel: $1.3 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $1.2 billion
Knitted or crocheted fabric: $774.5 million
Iron or steel products: $769.9 million
Vehicles: $739.5 million
Aluminum: $634.6 million
Copper: $603.4 million
Man-made filaments: $372.5 million
Rubber: $322.6 million
Paper: $293.1 million
Other chemical goods: $293 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from South Korea under the electronic equipment product category via a 9.8% gain in revenue then products made from iron or steel (up 7.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -40.7%), man-made filaments (down -26.8%), medical or technical equipment (down -19.9%), paper (down -16.4%), rubber (down -13.9%) and knitted or crocheted fabric (down -13.3%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from Japan

In 2020, Japan’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $20.3 billion or 7.8% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a 3.8% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 86.4% of Vietnam’s imports from Japan.

Electronic equipment: $7.2 billion
Machinery: $2.6 billion
Iron and steel: $2.4 billion
Plastics: $1.4 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $979 million
Vehicles: $604.2 million
Iron or steel products: $488.7 million
Rubber: $339.3 million
Copper: $307.9 million
Organic chemicals: $248.7 million
Man-made filaments: $248.1 million
Paper: $245.5 million
Glass: $217.2 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $170 million
Other chemical goods: $166.8 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from Japan under the copper product category via a 21.4% gain in revenue, glass (up 20.1%), electronic equipment (up 15.3%) then iron and steel as materials (up 14.5%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were man-made filaments (down -19.9%), products made from iron or steel (down -14.4%), paper (down -11.8%) and miscellaneous chemical goods (down -10.3%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from Taiwan

In 2020, Taiwan’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $16.7 billion or 6.4% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a 10.0% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 90.4% of Vietnam’s imports from Taiwan.

Electronic equipment: $8.1 billion
Plastics: $1.4 billion
Machinery: $900.4 million
Iron and steel: $890.9 million
Medical, technical equipment: $859.2 million
Knitted or crocheted fabric: $744.9 million
Organic chemicals: $576.8 million
Man-made filaments: $463.7 million
Other chemical goods: $220.8 million
Man-made staple fibers: $217.1 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $177.5 million
Iron or steel products: $144.8 million
Coated textile fabric: $142.8 million
Rubber: $134.4 million
Paper: $130.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from Taiwan under the electronic equipment product category via a 40.8% gain in revenue and medical or technical equipment (up 23.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were man-made staple fibers (down -28.5%), organic chemicals (down -20.9%), coated textile fabric (down -18.8%), paper (also down -18.8%), machinery (down -17.1%) and man-made filaments (down -14.6%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, the United States’ exports to Vietnam amounted to $13.8 billion or 6.4% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a -4.3% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 82.2% of Vietnam’s imports from America.

Electronic equipment: $5 billion
Cotton: $1.3 billion
Plastics: $833.3 million
Food waste, animal fodder: $505.3 million
Machinery: $469.5 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $434.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $415.8 million
Oil seed: $402.2 million
Pharmaceuticals: $342.2 million
Wood: $323.6 million
Iron and steel: $300 million
Fruits, nuts: $277.2 million
Other food preparations: $249.9 million
Meat: $238 million
Footwear: $217.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from the United States under the mineral fuels including oil product category via a 124.2% gain in revenue, pharmaceuticals (up 45%), oil seed (up 28.9%) and meat (up 18.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -27%), medical or technical equipment (down -21.2%), footwear (down -20.9%), food waste or animal fodder (down -17%), cotton (down -16.9%) and plastics as a material (down -13.9%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from Thailand

In 2020, Thailand’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $10.9 billion or 4.2% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a -6.3% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.6% of Vietnam’s imports from Thailand.

Machinery: $1.6 billion
Electronic equipment: $1.53 billion
Vehicles: $1.48 billion
Plastics: $944.8 million
Sugar: $538.8 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $536 million
Live animals: $354.1 million
Rubber: $337.6 million
Organic chemicals: $275.4 million
Copper: $255.5 million
Paper: $228.9 million
Iron or steel products: $199.9 million
Raw hides excluding furskins: $197.9 million
Knitted or crocheted fabric: $143.3 million
Iron and steel: $134.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from Thailand under the sugar product category via a 385.3% gain in revenue, live animals (up 77.8%) then iron and steel as materials (up 44.2%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -24.9%), raw hides excluding furskins (down -17.9%), copper (down -14%) and plastics as a material (down -13.9%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from Malaysia

In 2020, Malaysia’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $6.6 billion or 2.5% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a -9.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 86.7% of Vietnam’s imports from Malaysia.

Electronic equipment: $2.1 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $982.8 million
Machinery: $618.5 million
Plastics: $380.4 million
Aluminum: $352 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $318.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $247.2 million
Organic chemicals: $137.7 million
Iron and steel: $123.3 million
Rubber: $95.4 million
Glass: $89.9 million
Other chemical goods: $89.2 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $66.9 million
Other food preparations: $66.2 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $63.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from Malaysia under the medical or technical equipment product category via a 26.7% gain in revenue, glass (up 21.8%) and electronic equipment (up 10.6%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -52.3%), mineral fuels including oil (down -35.5%), animal or vegetable fats and oils (down -15.3%), plastics as a material (down -12.8%), miscellaneous chemical goods (down -12.4%) and rubber (down -12.1%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from Indonesia

In 2020, Indonesia’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $5.4 billion or 2.1% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a -5.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 81.6% of Vietnam’s imports from Indonesia.

Vehicles: $846.2 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $844.6 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $445.8 million
Electronic equipment: $393.6 million
Iron and steel: $342.2 million
Machinery: $255.8 million
Paper: $221.1 million
Copper: $193.1 million
Plastics: $166.6 million
Organic chemicals: $159.8 million
Fish: $139.2 million
Fruits, nuts: $121.2 million
Rubber: $101.2 million
Food waste, animal fodder: $88.5 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $80.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from Indonesia under the animal or vegetable fats and oils product category via a 91.5% gain in revenue, fruits and nuts (up 43%), rubber (up 12.2%) and organic chemicals (up 11%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -23.9%), cereal or milk preparations (down -21.8%), electronic equipment (down -18.4%), iron and steel as materials (down -12.8%) then machinery (down -11.1%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from Australia

In 2020, Australia’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $4.7 billion or 1.8% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a 4.4% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 92.5% of Vietnam’s imports from Australia.

Mineral fuels including oil: $1.7 billion
Ores, slag, ash: $789.8 million
Live animals: $458.2 million
Cereals: $269.5 million
Aluminum: $199.6 million
Copper: $170 million
Iron and steel: $138.8 million
Zinc: $112.4 million
Meat: $103.6 million
Fruits, nuts: $97.5 million
Milling products: $96.4 million
Lead: $82.9 million
Cotton: $48.9 million
Pharmaceuticals: $46.2 million
Fish: $41.8 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from Australia under the fish product category via a 111.1% gain in revenue, lead (up 109.4%), ores, slag and ash (up 47.9%), aluminum (up 14.3%) and live animals (up 11.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were cotton (down -45.7%), iron and steel as materials (down -34.1%), pharmaceuticals (down -28.1%), milling products (down -26.8%) and zinc (down -19.2%).

Vietnam’s Main Imports from India

In 2020, India’s exports to Vietnam amounted to $4.5 billion or 1.7% of overall Vietnamese imports.

That dollar amount represents a -0.8% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 82.2% of Vietnam’s imports from India.

Iron and steel: $1.1 billion
Meat: $284.3 million
Pharmaceuticals: $260.6 million
Cotton: $258.6 million
Electronic equipment: $247 million
Fish: $228.2 million
Machinery: $197.6 million
Plastics: $172.9 million
Oil seed: $160.9 million
Vehicles: $158.3 million
Organic chemicals: $150.9 million
Food waste, animal fodder: $145.6 million
Gems, precious metals: $109.1 million
Other chemical goods: $106 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $68.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Vietnamese imports from India under the meat product category via a 59% gain in revenue, oil seed (up 28.7%) and fish (up 13.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Vietnam ‘s top 15 imported products were gems and precious metals (down -32%), machinery (down -18.2%), electronic equipment (down -12.9%) and organic chemicals (also down -12.9%).

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational sources.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Wikipedia, Vietnam, Borders of Vietnam

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

Vietnam’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries