HANOI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's national index of industrial production advanced 8.3 percent year on year in the first five months of this year, according to the country's General Statistics Office on Thursday.
The processing and manufacturing sector, the main driver behind the surge, went up by 9.2 percent. The electricity production and distribution sector expanded by 5.5 percent, and the water supply and waste management sector went up by 2.5 percent, said the office.
In May alone, the industrial production index rose 4 percent against April and 10.4 percent year on year.
Production activities during the month posted expansion as the latest COVID-19 wave, which affected a number of industrial parks, was brought under control and businesses have been adapting to the new situation to recover and expand their production, the office noted.
From January to May, the production of phone accessories witnessed the largest output increase year on year of 21.6 percent, followed by urea fertilizer, up 17.9 percent and fabrics made from natural fibers, up 14.5 percent.
As of May 1, the total number of employees in the industrial sector increased by 4.4 percent year on year, said the office.
