Latest reading: In July, the trade balance was USD +2.1 billion, following a USD +2.5 billion reading in the prior...
Merchandise Trade Balance in Taiwan
The merchandise trade balance in Taiwan averaged USD 56.7 billion in the decade to 2024. The 2024 reading was USD 80.6 billion. For more information on trade, visit our dedicated page.
Taiwan Trade Chart
Note: This chart displays Trade Balance (USD billion) for Taiwan from 2024 to 2014.
Source: Macrobond.
Taiwan Trade Data
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchandise Trade Balance (USD bn) | 59.0 | 64.4 | 51.3 | 80.8 | 80.6 |
Merchandise exports continue to surge in August
Latest reading: Merchandise exports soared 34.1% over the same month last year in August, on the heels of July’s 42.0% upturn and well above market expectations. The ongoing export boom was linked to burgeoning global demand for AI applications. Looking at key trading partners, sales to almost all key markets rose by double digits, with sales to the U.S. recording the fastest growth. Meanwhile, merchandise imports jumped 29.7% over the same month last year in August (July: +20.8% yoy). As a result, the merchandise trade balance improved from the previous month, recording a USD 16.8 billion surplus in August (July 2025: USD 14.3 billion surplus; August 2024: USD 11.5 billion surplus). Lastly, the trend improved, with the 12-month trailing merchandise trade balance recording a USD 115.1 billion surplus in August, compared to the USD 109.7 billion surplus in July.
Panelist insight: On the outlook, Nomura analysts said: “We expect export growth to stay resilient in coming months, owing to the upcoming iPhone 17 launch and continued Blackwell GPU shipments. Section 232 semiconductor tariffs are a risk, but we expect the impact to be constrained, given that leading Taiwanese tech companies have investments in the US.”
Consensus Forecasts and Projections for the next ten years
How should you choose a forecaster if some are too optimistic while others are too pessimistic? FocusEconomics collects Taiwanese trade projections for the next ten years from a panel of 4 analysts at the leading national, regional and global forecast institutions. These projections are then validated by our in-house team of economists and data analysts and averaged to provide one Consensus Forecast you can rely on for each indicator. By averaging all forecasts, upside and downside forecasting errors tend to cancel each other out, leading to the most reliable trade forecast available for Taiwanese trade.
Download one of our sample reports to visualize what a Consensus Forecast is and see our Taiwanese trade projections.
Want to get access to the full dataset of Taiwanese trade forecasts? Send an email to info@focus-economics.com.
Latest Global Trade News
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China: Merchandise exports increase in August Latest reading: Merchandise exports increased 4.4% year-on-year in August (July: +7.2% year-on-year). The figure marked the softest expansion since February... -
Taiwan: Merchandise exports continue to surge in August Latest reading: Merchandise exports soared 34.1% over the same month last year in August, on the heels of July’s 42.0%... -
Vietnam: Merchandise exports increase in August Latest reading: Merchandise exports growth cooled to 14.8% in year-on-year terms in August from July’s 16.7% increase as front-loading activities... -
Korea: Merchandise exports rise at a slower rate in August Latest reading: Merchandise exports increased 1.3% year on year in August (July: +5.8% yoy). This was less than half market... -
Philippines: Merchandise exports grow at a more moderate pace in July Latest reading: Merchandise exports jumped 17.3% in annual terms in July (June: +26.9% year-on-year). Meanwhile, merchandise imports expanded 2.3% on... -
Thailand: Merchandise exports growth slows in July Latest reading: Merchandise exports climbed 9.6% year on year in July, on the heels of June’s 16.0% upturn. The figure...