Taiwan: Exports and imports surge in August, trade surplus increases to three year-high
Merchandise exports jumped 8.3% in annual terms in August, rising more significantly than July’s 0.4% increase and marking the highest reading in the six months. August’s increase largely reflected soaring exports of electronic goods and information, communication and audiovisual products, offsetting a fall in exports of base metals, machinery and plastics. Moreover, export orders—which typically lead actual exports by two to three months—surged 12.4% in July, the latest month for which data is available, following June’s 6.5% increase.
Meanwhile, merchandise imports climbed 8.5% in year-on-year terms in August, rebounding from July’s 6.8% drop. Higher imports of electronic goods; machinery; chemicals; and information, communication and audiovisual products drove the increase.
As a result, the trade surplus rose to USD 6.5 billion in August—the highest since September 2017—following July’s USD 5.4 billion reading, and rising from the USD 6.0 billion surplus recorded in August 2019. The 12-month trailing trade surplus increased to USD 47.0 billion in August, which marked the highest result in over a year, following July’s USD 46.6 billion reading.