AI Demand Drives Record 51.7% Rise in Taiwan's May Exports

Continued expansion of AI models, data centers and computing infrastructure worldwide is driving demand for integrated circuits and automatic data-processing equipment. That has put export figures from China’s General Administration of Customs in focus. These products have become key pillars of advanced manufacturing and foreign-trade growth, while also indicating how global technology investment is benefiting Chinese supply chains.

The latest customs data showed that exports in May rose 19.4% from a year earlier, beating market expectations. Export growth for both integrated circuits and automatic data-processing equipment reached its highest level of the year. The release did not provide a specific dollar value, but indicated that AI-sector demand and global infrastructure investment were the main drivers of the month’s export acceleration.

Taiwan’s exports have expanded for more than two consecutive years, driven mainly by demand across server, semiconductor and other supply chains supporting artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing and cloud services. The Ministry of Finance said continued growth in technology applications was sustaining export momentum, making overseas shipments an important pillar of Taiwan’s economic growth.

The ministry said February exports reached $49.8 billion, up 20.6% from a year earlier and the highest level ever recorded for the month. The result also marked a 28th consecutive month of growth. Strong demand for AI and high-performance computing also pushed cumulative exports in the first two months of the year to a record for the period.