Taiwan's exports in November top monthly record on AI boom

Taipei, Dec. 9 (CNA) Taiwan's exports hit a monthly record of US$64.05 billion in November, surging 56 percent year-on-year on strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Tuesday.

The figure marked the 25th consecutive month of growth, according to MOF data.

Imports also set a monthly high in November, rising 45 percent year-on-year to US$47.97 billion.

Information and communication technology (ICT) products led export growth, with shipments reaching US$28.36 billion -- another monthly record and a 1.7-fold increase from a year earlier.

Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜), director-general of the Ministry of Finance's Department of Statistics, said exports to the United States climbed to a historic high of US$24.42 billion in November, up 1.8-fold year-on-year. The surge was driven mainly by strong demand for ICT products, she added.

The U.S. accounted for 38.1 percent of Taiwan's export market in November, the highest share since September 2009, and remains Taiwan's largest export destination. Tsai said the strong momentum is likely to continue.

ICT-related shipments also boosted exports to Europe -- particularly Ireland, Finland, the Czech Republic and Germany -- which rose 36.8 percent year-on-year to US$4.11 billion.

Meanwhile, exports to ASEAN, Japan, and China and Hong Kong grew 31.5 percent, 18.2 percent and 16.5 percent, respectively.

Tsai said global supply chain realignment, a shift away from China, and the AI boom have significantly reshaped Taiwan's export structure. Exports to China and Hong Kong accounted for 26.8 percent of Taiwan's total in the first 11 months of 2025, the lowest share for the period in 24 years.

By contrast, exports to the United States and ASEAN reached 30.4 percent and 18.7 percent, their highest in 35 and 11 years, respectively.

Cumulative exports for the first 11 months of 2025 totaled US$578.49 billion, up 34.1 percent from the same period in 2024, MOF data showed.