Vietnam posted a trade surplus of 8.3 billion USD with the US in the first half of the year, representing an 18.5 percent year-on-year increase.
Statistics from the General Statistics Office showed that Vietnam's exports to the country last year was 116 times higher than that of the same period in 1995, with average annual growth of 32 percent.
Rising export turnover to the US would help to meet this year's export target of 23 billion USD.
Garments and textile took the lead with turnover of 3.2 billion USD, followed by footwear with 1.03 billion USD, wood and wooden products posting 710 million USD, and computer, electronics and components at 479 million USD. Seafood brought home 470 million USD, and machinery and parts 362 million USD.
Exports to the US accounted for 18 percent of Vietnam 's total export value.
However, Vietnam 's goods accounted for only 1 percent of US imports, with Vietnam ranking 40th in countries exporting to the US .
Vietnam 's imports from the US last year also grew by 37 times when compared to 1995, with average annual growth of 24 percent.
Import turnover from the US market in the first six months of the year rose 14 percent over the same period last year.
Vietnam expected it would post a trade surplus of 17 billion USD with the US this year, contributing to lowering the national trade deficit.
US direct investment in Vietnam during the period was at 10.5 billion USD, putting it at the 7 th place among top investors in Vietnam .
The number of US visitors to Vietnam has also increased, with an average of 400,000 arrivals per year since 2007./.