Taiwan Exports Hit Record High in November

Exports from Taiwan soared 69.9% year-on-year to an all-time high of USD 65.77 billion in January 2026, following a 43.4% growth in the previous month and surpassing market expectations of a 51.9% rise. This marked the strongest annual export growth since January 2010, driven by robust sales across all major categories. Information, communication, and audio-video products surged 129.8%, parts of electronic products climbed 59.8%, base metals and articles of base metals grew 22.3%, machinery increased 29.4%, and plastics, rubber, and articles thereof rose 8.6%. Exports to the US jumped 151.8%, accounting for 32.4% of total exports, following a recent trade agreement between the US and Taiwan aimed at boosting American semiconductor production in exchange for lower tariffs. Other key destinations included Mainland China and Hong Kong (49.6%), ASEAN countries (61.8%), Europe (106%), Japan (37.2%), and Korea (96%).

Exports from Taiwan jumped 43.4% year-on-year to USD 62.48 billion in December, marking the second-highest monthly level on record. The pace slowed from a 56.0% increase in November and fell short of market expectations of 46%. The surge was fueled by strong demand for AI, high-performance computing, and cloud services, which supported robust shipments of related products. By category, exports rose sharply for information, communication, and audio-video products (+126.3%), electronic parts (+24.1%), and machinery (+11.0%), while shipments of base metals and articles of base metal (-7.8%) and chemicals (-6.7%) declined. By destination, exports to major markets posted broad-based gains, with shipments to the US (+125.9%) leading, followed by Europe (+54.5%), Korea (+33.6%), Japan (+26.2%), ASEAN (+20.3%), and China and Hong Kong (+11.3%). For the full year 2025, Taiwan’s total exports reached USD 640.75 billion, up 34.9% year-on-year, including a 78.0% surge in shipments to the US.

Exports from Taiwan surged 56.0% year-on-year to a record USD 64.0 billion in November, accelerating from a 49.7% gain in October and surpassing market expectations for a 41.1% rise as global demand for the island’s chips and artificial intelligence technology remained strong. The biggest gains were reported for shipments of information, communication, and audio-video products (+170.8%), electronic parts (+29.3%) and machinery (+17.9%). On the other hand exports declined for chemicals (-0.7%) and base metals and articles of base metal (-5.8%). By destination, exports to major markets rose sharply, with shipments to the US (+182.3%) leading the gains, followed by Europe (+36.8%), Korea (+34.2%), ASEAN (+31.5%), Japan (+18.2%), and China and Hong Kong (+16.5%). From January to November, total exports reached USD 578.49 billion, up 34.1% year-on-year, including a 73.4% surge in shipments to the US.