TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan exported more goods to the US than China did in December, according to newly released US trade data, Nikkei Asia reported Friday.
US imports from Taiwan were nearly US$24.7 billion (NT$781.43 billion) in December, up from about US$20.3 billion in November, data from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed. US imports from China reached US$21.1 billion in December, slightly higher than the previous month.
On a full-year basis, China remained the largest Asian exporter to the US, shipping more than US$308 billion in goods. Taiwan exported over US$201 billion, compared with about US$116 billion a year earlier.
The US trade deficit with China narrowed by US$93.4 billion year-on-year to nearly US$202 billion, the BEA said. In contrast, the trade deficit with Taiwan roughly doubled to nearly US$147 billion.
Tariff measures introduced under President Donald Trump have reshaped bilateral trade flows. While a 20% tariff was imposed on Taiwanese goods last year, certain products, including semiconductors, were exempted.
Earlier this month, Washington and Taipei finalized a trade agreement to reduce the general tariff rate on Taiwanese goods to 15%. The deal includes planned semiconductor investments in the US and expanded market access in Taiwan for US automotive and agricultural products, pending legislative approval in Taiwan.
US tariffs on Chinese goods were raised last year, and following negotiations between US and Chinese leaders in October, the overall tariff rate was reported at about 47%. Despite shifting trade patterns, the overall US goods trade deficit reached a record high.
DBS Bank Senior Economist and Strategist Samuel Tse said Chinese exports to the US are unlikely to rebound. Taiwan’s exports to the US, meanwhile, are likely to grow, supported by demand for AI-related products, he added.
