Vietnam exports nearly 416 million face masks Vietnam exported 415.7 million face masks worth 63.19 million USD from January 1 to April 19, according to the General Department of Customs. Between April 1 and 19 there were 88.19 million face masks worth 344 million USD exported, including 51.3 million that were gifts and donations. Japan was the biggest importer of made-in-Vietnam face masks in the period, with 32.7 million, followed by the Republic of Korea, Germany, and the US, with 17.1 million, 11.1 million, and 10.4 million, respectively. In early April, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc approved the export of medical face masks and protective clothing, as long as domestic demand, including reserves, is met first. Such products can therefore only be exported to countries that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Health’s figures showed that there are some 68 companies producing medical face masks and protective clothing in Vietnam. Some garment companies are also investing in producing medical face masks, besides cloth face masks, such as the Garment 10 Corporation Joint Stock Company and TNG Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company. The Vietnam Trade Office in the EU has warned that the mass production…