TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s exports hit a record US$65.77 billion (NT$2.08 trillion) in January, logging a 27th straight month of growth as AI-driven demand stayed strong, the Ministry of Finance said Monday.

The ministry said exports rose 69.9% from a year earlier, setting a new single-month high, per UDN. Imports reached US $46.8 billion, the second-highest monthly level on record, per CNA.

Strong demand from AI, high-performance computing, and cloud services continued to underpin global manufacturing and trade. The ministry said the growth was amplified by base effects linked to the Lunar New Year holiday last year.

Imports climbed 63.6% year on year, driven by export-related demand tied to the AI supply chain and robust purchases of capital equipment. Base effects also contributed to the sharp increase, the ministry said.

All 11 major product categories posted year-on-year growth in January, led by information and communications products and electronic components.

Exports to Taiwan’s five major markets all rose from a year earlier, with shipments to ASEAN and Europe hitting record highs for the month. Exports to the US jumped 1.5 times, while shipments to Europe rose 1.1 times, driven mainly by information and communications products.

Looking ahead, the ministry said global trade growth faces headwinds from trade policy uncertainty and geopolitical risks. Still, strong cloud spending, efforts to build sovereign AI infrastructure, Taiwan’s strength in chips, and recent Taiwan–US tariff agreements are expected to support export momentum.