Figures at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance indicated that Vietnam-American trade reached US$10.15 billion in the first half of this year, increasing by 21 percent compared to the same period last year.

The US imported US$8 billion and exported $2.14 billion, compared to $6.6 billion and $1.7 billion respectively last year.

Vietnam saw a month-on-month increase in exports to the US, from $1.36 billion in April to $1.43 billion in May and $1.52 billion in June.

Vietnam imported $385 million in April, $351 million in May, and $358 million in June.

Apparel still topped the list of Vietnam’s products shipped to its biggest export market with $3 billion in revenues, or a growth of 18.5% compared to the same period last year.

Footwear was Vietnam’s second biggest earner as its export value increased by 27 percent year-on-year to nearly $968 million, followed by furniture with 4.5 percent and $837 million, respectively.

Electronic items and seafood were other major Vietnamese export products with seafood earnings increasing by 49 percent to more than $332 million.

Fabric and fiber were the top American merchandise exported with a whopping year-on-year increase of 155 percent to $262 million.

The other major export earners were steel, machinery, equipment and accessories.

Last year, bilateral trade between the US and Vietnam reached $19 billion, a significant increase of 20 percent over the previous year.

Vietnamese exports accounted for more than $14.8 billion of this figure.