Vietnam exports to U.S., imports from China fall in August after tariffs take effect

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

HANOI (Reuters) -Vietnam’s exports to the United States fell 2% in August from July to $13.94 billion, Vietnamese customs data showed on Tuesday, as a tariff of 20% on shipments to the United States took effect.

Imports from China also fell 2% in August from July, the Customs Department said. The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Vietnam of being used as a transshipment hub for Chinese goods directed to the United States.

For the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam’s shipments to the United States rose 26.4% from a year earlier to $99.05 billion, the report showed, providing a breakdown of trade with individual countries after aggregate figures were released on the weekend.

The United States, Vietnam’s biggest market, imposed the 20% tariff from August 7, while transshipments from third countries through Vietnam face a levy of 40%.

Compared with the same month last year, exports to the U.S. in August rose 18.33%, according to the report.

The data showed Vietnam continues to heavily rely on imports of materials and equipment from China for its manufacturing industries.  Over the first eight months of 2025, imports from China rose 27% from a year earlier to $117.93 billion, the report said.

Oxford Economics on Monday warned that Vietnam’s export growth was expected to continue easing due to the tariffs, while the World Bank cut its GDP growth forecast to 6.6% from 6.8%,  saying the export-driven economy was expected to moderate over the rest of 2025.

The government is aiming for GDP growth of 8.3%-8.5% this year. On Monday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh described the target as “difficult”, adding that “we must reach it, however difficult it is.”

(Reporting by Khanh Vu and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by John Mair)