Viet Nam achieves $700m trade surplus   A view of Tan Cang - Cat Lai Port in HCM City. The country shipped $45.74 billion worth of goods in the first four months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 16.9 per cent. - VNA/VNS Photo The Anh HA NOI  (VNS) - Viet Nam was estimated to enjoy a trade surplus of US$700 million in the first four months of this year, according to data from the General Statistics Office (GSO). The country shipped $45.74 billion worth of goods during this period, making a year-on-year increase of 16.9 per cent, while it spent $45.05 billion to import goods and services, posting an increase of 13.7 per cent over the same period last year. The country's key export items in the period included mobile phones and accessories ($7.6 billion); garments and textiles ($5.94 billion); and electronic products, computers and spare-parts ($2.94 billion). Its key imported products in this period were machinery and spare-parts ($6.7 billion); electronic products, computers and spare-parts ($5.8 billion); petroleum ($2.6 billion); and clothes ($2.75 billion). In April alone, the country's export turnover was posted at $12.2 billion. The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) sector continued to top exports last month. The sector's exports were worth $8.02 billion, accounting for 66 per cent of the country's total export values in the month. Meanwhile, Viet Nam's import values in April were estimated at $12.6 billion. Of which, imports of the FDI sector were worth $7.4 billion, accounting for 59 per cent of the country's total import turnovers. The country saw a trade deficit of $400 million in April. First quarter surge Viet Nam's export turnover to the US posted a 25.6 per cent year-on-year increase in the first quarter, while imports from the US were up 22.4 per cent, according to figures from the General Department of Customs. Export turnover was $6.15 billion, while import value was $1.61 billion. Textile and garment exports continued to be the highest earner, while phones and component turnover increased sixfold over the same period last year. -VNS