Taiwan’s exports surged in November, marking the fastest growth in 15 and a half years as global demand for its chips and AI-related technologies remained strong heading into year-end.
Exports rose 56% year over year to $64.05 billion in November, the finance ministry reported, extending a streak of positive growth for a 25th consecutive month and beating economists’ median forecast of a 41.1% rise in a Reuters poll.
November also produced a record-dollar export total and the quickest expansion since May 2010, even as exports to the United States faced a 20% tariff that Taipei is negotiating to reduce, though semiconductors are currently exempt.
The ministry attributed the momentum to ongoing AI and high-performance computing demand, along with the traditional year-end shopping surge seen in Western markets. It reiterated expectations for full-year 2025 exports to rise about 30% from 2024, reaching around $600 billion, though it cautioned that the global outlook remains uncertain amid tariff developments and geopolitical tensions.
Taiwanese firms such as TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, and customers like Nvidia and Apple, underpin this strength by supplying critical chips and components to major tech players.
For December, the ministry expects exports to climb roughly 40%–45% year over year.
November highlights included U.S. shipments jumping 182.3% year over year to a record $24.418 billion, and exports to China increasing by 16.5%. Electronic component exports rose 29.3% to $21.632 billion.
Imports also rose sharply, up 45% to $47.97 billion, topping economists’ projections for about a 17.45% gain.
Source: Taiwan finance ministry data, with analysis from Reuters reporters Faith Hung and Roger Tung.
