Although Vietnam has stepped up exports to ASEAN, the country ran a trade deficit of US$6.51 billion with the region last year, according to data of the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Vietnam’s trade with other ASEAN countries totaled US$49.53 billion last year, up 19.6% over 2016 and accounting for 11.7% of the country’s total foreign trade. Export growth outpaced import growth but the country still incurred a yawning trade deficit with the region. The country exported US$21.51 billion worth of products to other Southeast Asian countries, growing 23.9% against the previous year, while imports grew by 16.4% year-on-year to US$28.02 billion. The surge in exports to ASEAN is thanks to higher export revenues from mobile phones and phone parts (up US$948 million), iron and steel products (up US$722 million), computers, electronic products and components (up US$488 million), crude oil (up US$378 million), and textiles-garments (up US$181 million). Meanwhile, Vietnam … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 27/3