According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance (MOF), the island recorded its 15th consecutive month of export growthin January 2025, fueled by the global surge in artificial intelligence (AI) development and demand for high-performance computing products.
Trade Surplus Soars Over 318% Year-on-Year
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MOF data showed that Taiwan’s total trade value in January 2025 reached USD 67.45 billion, down 6.02% year-on-year. Of that, exports amounted to USD 38.71 billion, rising 4.4% from the same month in 2024, while imports totaled USD 28.74 billion, a sharp 17.16% decline.
As a result, Taiwan posted a trade surplus of USD 9.98 billion in January — a 318.14% surge compared to the same period last year.
This export value also exceeded MOF’s earlier forecast of USD 35.6 – 36.7 billion, which had anticipated a decline of 1–4%.
AI and Geopolitical Factors Drive Record Export Levels
Despite the shorter working period caused by the Lunar New Year holidays and the seasonal low period of the tech industry, exports were boosted by strong demand for AI-related and high-performance computing (HPC) products.
In addition, front-loading by global buyers — due to fears of renewed U.S.–China trade tensions and potential tariff re-impositions under a Trump administration — also pushed export figures higher.
This made January 2025 the second-highest export value for any January on record, trailing only January 2022’s USD 39.98 billion.
Mixed Export Performance Across Major Markets
Export trends diverged across Taiwan’s main markets:
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Europe, Mainland China, and Hong Kong saw declines of 18.3% and 11.7% respectively.
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Exports to the U.S. edged up 0.7%, while exports to Japan rebounded strongly, up 7.2% year-on-year.
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Exports to ASEAN markets jumped 21.5%, reaching the third-highest January value in history, driven by robust demand for electronics and IT products.
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Shipments to Mexico skyrocketed 4.8 times, mainly due to supply-chain relocation effects, boosting exports of information technology equipment.
Outlook: AI and Semiconductors to Sustain Export Growth
MOF highlighted that trade restrictions, tariff policies, and geopolitical conflicts continue to pose uncertainty for global trade. However, the steady growth of the world economy and strong demand for emerging technologies such as AI and HPC are expected to sustain Taiwan’s export momentum.
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, with its advanced manufacturing capabilities and cutting-edge technology, remains a key driver of export strength.
For February 2025, MOF projects exports to reach USD 36.5–37.7 billion, representing 16–20% year-on-year growth— extending Taiwan’s export growth streak to 16 consecutive months.