Taiwan records NT$1.53 trillion in January export orders

台灣1月出口訂單達新台幣1.53兆

January exports grew 10.5% month-over-month, 1.9% year-over-year

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan recorded NT$1.53 trillion (US$48.4 billion) in January exports, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said on Tuesday (Feb. 27).

The January figure represented an increase of 10.5% month-over-month and a 1.9% increase compared to a year earlier. January exports were driven by strong demand for AI-related applications and high-performance computing solutions, according to MOEA Department of Statistics Director Huang Yu-ling (黃于玲), per CNA.

Looking at important sectors, electronics exports accounted for US$17.45 billion in January, up 16.1% from a year prior. Information and communications product exports totaled US$13.91 billion, representing a 19.3% year-over-year decline.

Optoelectronics equipment exports made US$1.58 billion, up 24% compared to a year earlier. Metals exports made US$2.27 billion, a 26.2% year-over-year increase.

January machinery exports totaled US$1.6 billion, up 9.5% year-over-year, while electrical machinery exports came in at US$1.49 billion, an 11.4% increase from a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the U.S. was the biggest destination for Taiwanese exports in January, accounting for US$13.96 billion, up 2.7% year-on-year. China came in second with US$10.08 billion in export orders, a 28% increase from a year earlier.

Taiwan exported US$6.74 billion in goods to Europe, a 50% decrease compared to last year, while exports to ASEAN countries grew 117.9% year-over-year to US$6.6 billion. Exports to Japan in January totaled US$2.12 billion, down 21.2% year-on-year.

Looking ahead, the MOEA said it expects February export orders to come in between US$35.5 billion and US$37.5 billion.