Taipei: Taiwan's exports soared to an unprecedented US$82.4 billion in August, propelled by robust global demand for artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing, and cloud applications, along with increased prices for electronic products, as reported by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on Wednesday.
According to Focus Taiwan, preliminary customs statistics from the MOF highlighted that August's exports marked the highest monthly total ever recorded, showing a 41.0 percent increase from the same period last year. This figure not only surpassed the previous record of US$80.18 billion set in March but also marked the 34th consecutive month of year-on-year export growth, equaling Taiwan's longest-ever growth streak from November 1985 to August 1988.
Beatrice Tsai, Director-General of the MOF Department of Statistics, identified four key factors contributing to this performance: continuous AI-driven demand for advanced semiconductor components, sustained global economic growth supported by AI-related investments, inventory restocking ahead of significant global smartphone launches, and ongoing supply bottlenecks in the electronics industry keeping prices elevated.
Imports in August rose 44.3 percent from the previous year to US$60.1 billion, marking the third-highest monthly total on record. This resulted in a record monthly trade surplus of US$22.3 billion, up 32.9 percent from last year. MOF data shows that August imports were only surpassed by figures in June and May, which recorded US$62.62 billion and US$60.54 billion, respectively.
In the first eight months of 2026, Taiwan's exports increased 44.2 percent year-on-year to US$574.34 billion, while imports rose 40.4 percent to US$437.43 billion, resulting in a cumulative trade surplus of US$136.91 billion. Electronic components remained the leading driver of export growth, with August exports in this category rising 58.0 percent year-on-year to a record US$32.22 billion, driven by strong demand for advanced chips and elevated memory prices.
Exports of information and communications products totaled US$33.10 billion, a 41.8 percent year-on-year increase, as AI-related demand for servers, storage devices, switches, and routers continued to grow despite a decline in laptop demand. These two categories combined accounted for 79.3 percent of Taiwan's total exports in August.
All of Taiwan's five major markets exhibited double-digit growth in exports. Shipments to China and Hong Kong rose 39.3 percent year-on-year to a monthly record of US$21.15 billion, while exports to Japan climbed 32.0 percent to a monthly record of US$3.66 billion, led by electronic components. Exports to the United States increased 20.7 percent to US$23.67 billion, marking a 37-month growth streak. Meanwhile, shipments to ASEAN rose 42.2 percent to US$15.13 billion, and exports to Europe grew 34.8 percent to US$4.45 billion. Additionally, exports to Mexico and Australia more than tripled compared to last year.
Looking forward, Tsai forecasted that September exports would range between US$77.0 billion and US$80.3 billion, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 42 to 48 percent. She noted that September exports need to exceed US$63.23 billion for third-quarter exports to surpass the second-quarter total and set a new quarterly record.