Auto imports from China. CBU car imports from China surged in the January-April period this year - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – Vietnam spent US$247 million importing more than 6,600 completely-built-up (CBU) cars from China in the first four months of the year, soaring 480% over the same period last year, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

In the four-month period, the country bought nearly 50,200 autos worth a total of US$1.12 billion, jumping 56.5% in volume and 58.2% in value.

Of the total, there were some 33,400 cars with fewer than nine seats and nearly 12,000 trucks.

Thailand continued to be Vietnam’s largest supplier of autos with 25,700 units, valued at US$474.8 million, followed by Indonesia with 13,900 units worth US$172.8 million.

The number of auto imports from Thailand, Indonesia and China accounted for up to 92.2% of Vietnam’s total car imports in the four-month period.

In April alone, nearly 14,900 CBU autos, valued at US$310 million, were shipped to Vietnam, mainly from Thailand, Indonesia and China. The number of autos imported from these three markets accounted for 94% of the country’s total car imports last month.

Of the total, over 10,300 under-nine-seat cars worth US$156 million underwent customs clearance procedures, making up 69.4% of the total number of CBU car imports to Vietnam in April and down 4.7% in volume month-on-month.

Moreover, 29 vehicles with more than nine seats, 2,500 trucks and 1,980 special-use vehicles were delivered to Vietnam.

Among the special-use vehicles, nearly 1,700 units, or 84%, were imported from China through a border gate in Lang Son Province.