Taiwan's exports in the month of October broke all records, rising at an astonishing 49.7% year-over-year to reach $61.8 billion. The massive growth in this volume happened in nearly 16 years, and marks the 24th consecutive month of export gains. The primary source behind this surge is the high global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) hardware and high-performance computing components.
AI and tech lead the charge?
According to Focus Taiwan, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) data showed that Taiwan's exports in October surged 49.7% year-on-year to $61.8 billion, a record monthly high, driven by strong global demand for artificial intelligence technologies (AI). Shipments of electronic components saw a massive increase of 27.7%, including semiconductor exports reaching 29.2%.
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The boom was driven by the peak season for technology, as new consumer electronics, such as graphics cards and smartphones, were shipped ahead of the year-end holidays. While the tech sector surged, some industries are still facing headwinds and weaker global demand and overcapacity, which includes metals, plastics, and rubber.
US overtakes China as top export market
The US became Taiwan's largest export market in October, reflecting a big shift in the trade dynamics. Shipments to the US surged 144.3% compared to the same month last year to $21.14 billion. This was primarily because of the large orders for AI servers and new graphics cards. However, the US now accounts for 34.2% of all Taiwanese exports.
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In comparison, exports to mainland China and Hong Kong grew at a modest 3.2%. Imports also increased, climbing 14.6% to $39.22 billion, which gave Taiwan a record-high monthly trade surplus of $22.58 billion.
According to Economic Times, Tsai Ing-wen said, “cumulative exports for the first 10 months of 2025 reached $514.45 billion, up 31.8% from the same period a year earlier. Full-year exports are projected to surpass $600 billion.
