TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Machinery exports reached a record NT$110.5 billion (US$3.5 billion) in May, marking a 16th consecutive month of growth, the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI) said Wednesday.
TAMI said electronics equipment exports totaled NT$22.6 billion in May, accounting for 20.5% of total machinery exports and benefiting from strong demand tied to semiconductors and AI servers, per CNA. Machine tool exports reached NT$6.1 billion, with signs of recovery in key markets.
May machinery exports rose 23.6% from April and 26.2% from a year earlier, while cumulative exports for the first five months reached NT$460 billion, up 19.9% year-on-year. TAMI said the record monthly figure surpassed the previous high set in July 2022.
The association said global economic uncertainty, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, continues to cloud the outlook. It added that while AI and semiconductor demand is supporting higher-value equipment exports, exchange rate pressure remains a challenge for the export-oriented sector, per Tai Sounds.
The association urged government support for industrial upgrading and overseas market expansion, noting that transformation toward higher-value and differentiated machinery products will take time.
The NT$6.1 billion in machine tool exports was up 29.2% from April but only 2.4% higher year-on-year, with cumulative exports down 1.9% in the first five months. TAMI said the sector is returning to growth momentum and expects a stronger performance in the second half of the year.
