Vietnam exports 2.24 billion USD worth of steel and iron in H1
Vietnam exported 3.44 million tonnes of steel and iron worth 2.24 billion USD in the first half of this year, up 21 percent in volume and 4 percent in value from the same period last year.
Steel production at Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Corporation. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamexported 3.44 million tonnes of steel and iron worth 2.24 billion USDin the first half of this year, up 21 percent in volume and 4 percent in value fromthe same period last year.
The country mainly shipped steel andiron to the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), theUnited States (US) and the European Union (EU).
In the ASEAN bloc, Cambodia was thelargest importer of Vietnamese steel and iron during the January-June periodwith 882,000 tonnes, valued at 527.7 million USD, 48.2 percent higher in volumeand 37.5 percent higher in value from the first half of last year.
It was followed by Indonesia with366,000 tonnes worth 245.3 million USD and Malaysia with 373,700 tonnesworth 230.7 million USD.
Vietnam recorded significant growthin exports to China, Brazil, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and thePhilippines.
In contrast, the nation’s steel andiron exports to two other major outlets – the US and the EU – saw strongdeclines in both volume and value, the department noted.
About 285,000 tonnes of steel andiron were exported to the US, earning the country 223.2 million USD,representing a reduction of 35 percent in volume and 41 percent in value.
Exports to the EU, meanwhile,dropped 30 percent in volume and 41 percent in value to 204,000 tonnes and137 million USD.
Statistics from the departmentrevealed that Vietnam also spent 4.82 billion USD importing 7.15million tonnes of steel and iron in the first half of the year, up 4 percent involume but down 2 percent in value compared to the same period last year.
The country's major providers ofsteel and iron were mainland China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan andASEAN nations.-VNA
The import value for steel and iron products continuously surged sharply in the first month of 2017 to 710 million USD, the General Statistics Office reported.
Enhancing product quality and optimising production costs would help domestic steel producers compete with cheap products imported from China, said Nguyen Van Sua, Vice President of the Vietnam Steel Association.
The freshly-signed EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will help the Vietnamese steel sector expand export markets in Europe, industry insiders said.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Outcomes of ABAC III will shape ABAC’s final policy recommendations to be submitted to the ABAC-APEC leaders’ dialogue, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this November.
This is the second year the magazine has released the ranking, which is based on total revenue and key financial indicators of enterprises from seven countries in the region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
At the summit, publishing, tech, and media sectors will discuss emerging trends, business models, and sustainable solutions for digital publishing development in Vietnam.
This year’s “Vietnam Goods Week” marks a significant milestone as it is being held simultaneously for the first time in four locations across Asia: Japan, Hong Kong (China), Cambodia, and Malaysia, from June 19 - 22.
According to NordCham Vietnam Chairman Thue Quist Thomasen, the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to contribute to green and sustainable growth.
The analysis from an investment perspective shows that the economy’s growth has been heavily capital‑driven, yet efficiency remains low as reflected by Vietnam’s Incremental Capital-Output Ratio (ICOR) being significantly higher than global and regional averages. This underscores the imperative to enhance capital‑use efficiency.