Market and product

According to preliminary statistics from the Customs Department, import turnover in August 2026 reached 1.53 billion USD, a decrease of 6.27% compared to the previous month but an increase of 17.03% over the same period in 2025. For the first eight months of 2026, total import turnover for this item reached 12.76 billion USD, up 22.45% year-on-year.

China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the United States, and ASEAN continue to be the main suppliers of chemicals and chemical products to Vietnam. In the first eight months of 2026, imports reached 12.70 billion USD, up 21.61% compared to the same period in 2025. This growth indicates that the demand for imported raw materials and chemical products for domestic production remains high, particularly from the FDI sector.

For ASEAN, imports in the first eight months stood at 1.73 billion USD, up 13.85%, accounting for 13.60% of total turnover. Within the region, Malaysia was the largest supplier with 681.51 million USD, up 37.08%; Thailand reached 555.88 million USD, up 13.54%; and Indonesia reached 249.01 million USD, up 3.15%. In contrast, imports from Singapore fell 13.80% and from Brunei dropped 53.75%. Overall, supply from ASEAN increased but at a slower pace than the general growth of chemical imports.

Imports from the EU reached 684.53 million USD over eight months, representing a rise of 2.01% and accounting for 5.39%. Within the bloc, Germany was the largest supplier at 342.19 million USD, though this represented a fall of 7.56%; meanwhile, Italy reached 85.04 million USD, up 21.35%, and France reached 66.02 million USD, up 18.97%. Thus, imports from the EU overall increased slowly and showed divergence between member states.

Apart from the main suppliers, some markets recorded sharp increases such as Switzerland (up 71.92%), Canada (up 49.68%), Australia (up 45.61%), and Turkey (up 52.56%). However, these markets still account for a small proportion and so their impact on total turnover remains limited. This shows that Vietnamese enterprises are gradually diversifying sources of supply, but China and other Asian countries still play a dominant role.

In terms of trade blocs, FTA-RCEP continued to account for the highest share with 9.52 billion USD, up 24.05%, equivalent to 74.99% of total imports in eight months. FTA-CPTPP reached 1.93 billion USD, up 19.36%, accounting for 15.20%; while FTA-EAEU stood at 76.66 million USD, up 20.19%. This structure shows that Vietnam’s chemical imports remain concentrated in Asia and partners with favourable trade relations.

Vietnam’s market for chemical and chemical product imports in the first eight months of 2026 continued to grow strongly, reflecting the ongoing need for raw materials in domestic production. China remains the dominant supplier, followed by South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, ASEAN and the United States. Notably, imports from South Korea, China, and the United States increased significantly, while growth from the EU was slower. In the coming period, import demand is forecast to remain high alongside the recovery of industrial production and sectors with high chemical usage; however, enterprises should continue to diversify supply sources, increase domestic sourcing, and reduce over-reliance on any single market.