TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s exports to the US have surged more than 80% in the year since Washington imposed sweeping tariffs, Nikkei Asia reported Friday.
US import data shows total inbound shipments fell 3.6% year-on-year between April last year and January. The decline reflects higher trade barriers as tariffs raised the cost of accessing the world’s largest consumer market.
The impact, however, has been uneven across economies. Taiwan’s exports to the US jumped 81.8% to NT$6.04 trillion (US$189 billion), overtaking both Japan and South Korea.
The surge has been driven by Taiwan’s dominance in AI-related supply chains. Taiwanese firms control about 90% of the global AI server market and roughly 70% of semiconductor foundry services.
Many of these exports were exempt from tariffs, allowing Taiwan to avoid additional costs. Strong economic security ties also lifted bilateral trade, which rose 68.4% over the same period.
In contrast, US-China trade dropped 38% amid escalating tensions. Tariffs exceeding 100% imposed by both sides in April last year effectively created embargo-like conditions.
China’s overall exports still grew 5.5% to a record NT$120.46 trillion last year. Shipments to Southeast Asia increased sharply, helping push its annual trade surplus past NT$31.95 trillion for the first time.
Analysts say tariff avoidance has reshaped regional trade flows. “Transshipment is increasing, with exports routed through third countries,” said Nishihama Toru, researcher at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, as ASEAN exports to the US rose 28.9%.
Japan posted record total exports of NT$22.09 trillion, supported by strong demand for semiconductor equipment. However, exports to the US fell 4.1%, with automakers cutting prices to offset tariffs and maintain volumes.
Mexico saw exports to the US rise 4.3%, benefiting from tariff exemptions under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Canada’s exports, meanwhile, fell 13.5% as it moved to diversify trade away from the US.
The data reflects only goods trade and predates a February ruling by the US Supreme Court that found the reciprocal tariffs unconstitutional.
