Bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and the United Kingdom in the first eight months of this year hit 2.13 billion pounds (about 3.4 billion USD), representing a year-on-year increase of 25 percent.

According to data provided by the Vietnamese Commercial Affairs Office in the UK, Vietnam’s export turnover to the UK reached 195 billion pounds (about 3.12 billion USD), a growth of 28 percent over the same period last year, while its import turnover dropped by 2 percent against the first eight months of 2012, at 185 million pounds (296 million USD).

Vietnam’s main exports in the period included sound, image and data transmitting –receiving devices for radio, TV and mobile phones, components of data processing, auto and digital devices, coffee, footwear; furniture and synthetic resin wrapping.

According to the office’s forecast, total bilateral trade turnover between the two countries in 2013 will hit 3.2 billion pounds (5.12 billion USD), 17 percent higher than the previous year, of which Vietnam’s export turnover will be 2.92 billion pounds (up 20 percent).

Vietnam is now one of the UK’s 43 largest trade partners with the two-way trade turnover accounting for 0.34 percent of the total turnover between the UK and its foreign partners.

Last year, Vietnam ranked 34 th among 229 countries exporting to the UK, with the bilateral trade turnover reaching 2.73 billion pound (4.37 billion USD), up 35.5 percent over the previous year’s figure.-VNA