TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council said Monday that Taiwan’s reliance on China for trade and investment has dropped to record lows, even as Beijing maintains that cross-strait trade remains robust.
The remarks came ahead of the 16th anniversary of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, a trade pact signed in 2010 between Taiwan and China. According to the council, Taiwan’s economic ties with China have shifted significantly over the past decade.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Zhu Fenglian disputed that assessment, pointing to recent trade figures. She said cross-strait trade totaled NT$4.81 trillion (US$150.837 billion) from January to May, marking a 22% increase compared with the same period last year.
Economic Daily News reported that Zhu said China exported NT$1.34 trillion in goods to Taiwan during that time, a year-on-year rise of 30.6%. Imports from Taiwan reached NT$3.47 trillion, up 19.1%.
In response, the council said Beijing was highlighting short-term growth, while Taipei was focused on longer-term trends in economic dependence. It noted that Taiwan’s share of exports to China declined from 43.9% in 2020 to 26.6% in 2025.
A similar pattern was seen in investment. China accounted for 83.8% of Taiwan’s outward investment in 2010, but that figure fell to 3.8% in 2025 and dropped further to 0.9% in the first five months of this year.
Officials said the data reflects a broader shift by Taiwanese companies toward other markets. They attributed the change to geopolitical tensions, intensifying US-China competition, China’s slowing economy, and a less favorable investment climate.
The council also pointed to Beijing’s economic pressure as a factor driving businesses to diversify and reduce risk. As global supply chains evolve, Taiwanese firms are becoming less dependent on China, it said.
Exports under ECFA’s early harvest list also declined, falling to NT$417.72 billion in 2025. These goods accounted for 13.1% of Taiwan’s exports to China, the lowest share since the pact took effect.
Zhu, however, said Taiwan’s economy remains closely tied to China. She noted that total cross-strait trade reached NT$10.02 trillion last year, up 7.3%, and that 8,132 new Taiwan-funded companies were established in China in 2025, SETN reported.
Despite these figures, the council said Taiwan’s economy continues to perform strongly as businesses adapt to shifting global supply chains. It added that economic growth exceeded 8% in 2025, with per capita GDP reaching NT$1.24 million.
