The article cited data from the U.S. Census Bureau showing that the U.K.’s share of the U.S. merchandise trade slid to 2.6% through the first 10 months of this year while Vietnam’s rose to 2.7%.

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Hoa Phat galvanized steel products for export

In full-year numbers going back almost 20 years, the top seven U.S. partners in goods trade have consistently been Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, Germany, the Republic of Korea and the U.K., though their position within the group has shifted around, it said.

Vietnam didn’t appear in the bureau’s top-15 list until 2019, and it has climbed ever since, ending last year at No.10. If Vietnam’s lead over the U.K. holds for the final two months of 2022, it will be the first time that a majority of the top seven are Asian economies, read the article.

The numbers reflect trends that both predate the pandemic and were accelerated by it. China’s share of U.S. goods trade, which stood at 13.2% in October, has been edging down since it peaked on a full-year basis at 16.4% in 2017.

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Vietnamese pomelos at a U.S. supermarket

As American companies sought suppliers outside of China during the trade war between Beijing and Washington, the share of U.S. trade with countries like Mexico and Vietnam has been rising, it noted.

Vietnam’s total exports from January to November were up 13.4% over the same period last year, according to Vietnam's General Statistics Office.

Source: VNA