Taiwan's exports to the United States in March increased by 65.7% year-on-year to US$9.12 billion. Exports to the mainland grew only 6% to US$7.99 billion. Since mid-2003, the mainland has been Taiwan's largest export destination.

 

However, according to statistics from the Ministry of Finance, Taiwan's exports to the United States have actually surpassed those of mainland China (excluding Hong Kong) since December last year. By March this year, it had been four consecutive months, and the gap between the two has been widening. Officials from the Ministry of Finance explained that AI business opportunities have driven my country’s exports of telecommunications and audio-visual goods to the United States to increase since July last year, which is the main reason for the expansion of exports to the United States.

 

However, the mainland dropped to second place in Taiwan's export market because only goods directly exported to the mainland were counted. If exports to the mainland and Hong Kong are combined, the mainland is still Taiwan's largest overseas market, although the gap with the United States is rapidly narrowing.

 

Officials from the Ministry of Finance said that in the past statistics, mainland China and Hong Kong were usually combined for calculation. Because many goods, such as electronic components, are mainly transferred to the mainland through Hong Kong, it is more reasonable to combine the two regions. If the mainland and Hong Kong are combined, the export value to dry ports in March this year was US$12.72 billion, still Taiwan's largest export market.