Continous export surplus to Cambodia

Chart of the value of import-export turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia in period 2011-2016, the unit of “billion USD”. Chart: T.Bình.

In particular, in 2011, the total import-export turnover between the 2 countries reached $US 2.84 billion, in which the Vietnam’s exports were $US 2.41 billion, and the imports from Cambodia were near $US 430 billion and trade surplus reached $US 1.98 billion.

By 2013, the export surplus from Vietnam to the country reached the highest point of $US 2.4 billion, accounting for 83% of the total export value of our country to Cambodia. In 2016, despite the decrease, the level of trade surplus still reached $US 1.5 billion.

In the two-way trade of Vietnam with the ASEAN’s countries, Cambodia ranked number 6 in terms of the export and number 7 in terms of the import in 2016. Despite being neighbouring countries, the import-export activities between Vietnam and Cambodia are not commensurate with the potential of the two countries. The total import-export volume with the country over years have accounted for a very small proportion of the Vietnam’s total import-export turnover (about 1.1%-1.2%).

The latest statistics show that the import-export turnover for the first three months in 2017 was $US 1.08 billion, in which the exports were $US 640 million, reduced by 19.6% compared to the same period in 2016, and the imports were $US 446 million, increased by 29.8% compared to the same period in 2016.

On export, the growth rate of Vietnam to the Cambodian market was quite good in the years of 2012, 2013, but decreased slightly in the following years.

In 2016, Cambodia was ranked no. 23 among over 200 export markets of Vietnam with the total export turnover of $US 2.2 billion, reduced by 8.6% compared to 2016 and only accounted for 1.2% of the Vietnam’s total export turnover.

Vietnam’s main exports to Cambodia are petroleum, iron and steel, products from iron and steel, textiles...

Cambodia is the leading import market for petroleum, iron, and steel of Vietnam in 2016 (accounted for 36.7% and 18.2% the Vietnam’s export turnover of these products).

The petroleum volume exported to Cambodia in 2016 reached $US 667 thousand tons, rose by 5.1%. However, due to the fall in export prices, the export value of this item reached only $US 293 million, a significant decrease of 21.2% compared to 2015.

For steel products (655 thousand tons valued $US 307 million, reduced by 9% and 20%, respectively); textiles: $US 244 million, rose by 19.2%; raw materials for leather and footwear: $US 152 million, increased by 4.2%; plastic products: $US 97 million, down by 5.8% compared to 2015…

On import, Cambodia was ranked no. 22 on providing goods for Vietnam’s enterprises in 2016 with the total import turnover of $US 726 million, fell sharply by 23.3% compared to 2015.

Compared to the ASEAN’s countries, the import turnover from Cambodia to Vietnam ranked no.6 (higher than those from Laos, Myanmar, and Brunei) and accounted for 3% of the total imports from all the ASEAN’s countries.

Vietnam’s main imports from Cambodia over the year were: wood and wood products reached $US 182 million, decreased by 52.7%; cashew reached $US 114 million, reduced by 14.4%; rubber reached $US 84 million, increased by 9%; soybean were $US 23 million, down by 10.7% compared to 2015.