Taiwan’s exports rose 40.3 percent from a year earlier to USD74.83b in Jun-26, the third-highest monthly total on record, driven by sustained demand for artificial intelligence (AI)-related products, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Thursday.
Taiwan’s trade surplus widened marginally to +USD12.2b in Jun-26 from +USD12.1b a year earlier, undershooting the market consensus of +USD19.3b and marking its narrowest surplus since Jun-25.
Exports remained robust, expanding by +40.3%yoy. The growth, however, moderated from +51.7%yoy surge in May-26 and came in expectations of a +48.6%yoy. The sustained rise still suggests that the global demand for advanced semiconductors and high-performance computing components remained strong. Tech segments anchored the export rise, led by communication/audio-video equipment (+72.3%yoy), electronic parts (+32.8%yoy), mineral products (+20.0%yoy), and machinery (+14.8%yoy). This capped an exceptional first half of the year, bringing cumulative 1H26 exports to USD416.7b (+47.1%yoy).
This variance was primarily driven by an unprecedented import surge, which jumped +51.8%yoy to a record high of USD62.6b easing slightly (May-26: +54.9%yoy) and outpaced expectations of +47.8%yoy. Inbound shipments were led by an exponential rise in information, communication, and audio-video products (+140.4%yoy) alongside raw electronic parts (+70.9%yoy), with bilateral sourcing strongest from South Korea (+81.4%yoy) and Mainland China/Hong Kong (+36.3%yoy). For 1H26, imports also expanded robustly by +43.4%yoy.
MBSB Research noted that Taiwan’s record-breaking appetite for electronic parts (+70.9%yoy) serves as a strong leading indicator for Malaysia’s E&E sector. As a key provider of back-end semiconductor assembly and advanced packaging, Malaysia also gained from the increased global demand for technology products. The intense AI-driven component demand positions local exporters to secure robust order volumes through 3QCY26, reinforcing the house’s upgraded full-year GDP growth forecast of +4.5%.
