Vietnam trade surplus with US hits 19 billion in January

Vietnam recorded the world's largest trade surplus with the United States in January, surpassing major trading partners including Mexico and China. According to official U.S. data released on Thursday, the surplus reached $19 billion for the month. This figure represents the highest dollar surplus among all international partners, with Taiwan, Mexico, and China following in the rankings. The surge comes as the Vietnamese government continues months of negotiations with Washington over a potential trade deal, though no agreement has been reached due to the widening trade gap and disputes over proposed U.S. tariff rates.

Vietnamese exports to the U.S. market climbed 53% to over $20 billion in January compared to the previous year. Conversely, U.S. imports from China saw a sharp decline of 46% during the same timeframe. The trade gap has exceeded China's since the second quarter of 2025 and remained second only to Mexico for the preceding three quarters. For the entirety of 2025, the surplus totaled $178 billion.