Vietnam-US trade to rise 48 pct in 2007-state media

HANOI, Feb 5 (Reuters) Trade between Vietnam and the United States this year is forecast to jump 48 per cent from last year to between 12 billion dollars and 13 billion dollars, state media quoted Trade Ministry reports today as saying.

The Vietnam Rural Today newspaper said the boost in trade was expected after the United States granted Vietnam normal trade relation status in December and the country became the newest member of the World Trade Organisation in January.

Vietnam's main exports to the US market this year will include crude oil, textiles, footwear, furniture, coffee and electric cables.

Last year exports and imports between the former war enemies jumped nearly 30 per cent from 2005 to 8.8 billion dollars, of which Vietnam's exports totalled 7.83 billion dollars or a rise of 32 per cent, the newspaper reported.

The Southeast Asian country has had a trade agreement with the United States since December 2001 and Vietnamese exports to the United States have tripled since then.

REUTERS DKA KN1620