Vietnam recorded growth in revenue from exports of mobile phones and related components in the first quarter, following stagnation in 2020, local media reported.

Vietnamnet reported the value of exports of handsets and parts rose 9.3 per cent year-on-year in Q1 to $14.1 billion, data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade showed. The country’s overall production of mobile phones increased 2.7 per cent to 54.4 million units.

Exports accounted for the majority of production, with domestic consumption of electronics, computers and optical equipment declining 13.5 per cent, the newspaper noted.

The higher output of handsets fuelled a 48.1 per cent jump in imports of goods in the mobile phone and components category to $4.9 billion.

Exports of mobile phone and components in 2020 as a whole were flat at $51.2 billion The Saigon Times wrote, citing General Statistics Office of Vietnam data.

Samsung reportedly accounted for the bulk of mobile phone exports during the year: it began shifting production to Vietnam and other countries in late 2019 after halting manufacturing at Chinese factories.

Google also shifted production of its Pixel smartphones from China to Vietnam about the same time.