According to data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, export orders jumped 30.5% year-on-year to $70.22 billion, far exceeding analysts’ forecasts of a 17.8% increase.
The surge highlights Taiwan’s expanding importance as a technology manufacturing hub, home to major firms such as TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, and other key electronics producers whose products underpin AI, data center, and cloud computing systems.
While the ministry acknowledged that geopolitical tensions and global trade policies—including newly imposed 20% U.S. tariffs—remain challenges, it said the overall outlook remains strong. The Taiwanese government described the tariff as “temporary” and confirmed it is negotiating with Washington for more favorable terms.
“The momentum for orders will be supported as new applications such as AI and high-performance computing continue to expand,” the ministry said, noting that the fourth quarter is typically a high season driven by holiday demand in Western markets.
The ministry also projected that the total value of export orders in 2025 could reach a record high, with October orders expected to grow between 23.7% and 27.3% compared to the same period last year.
Tech Sector Leads the Surge
In September, telecoms product orders rose 33.1%, while electronic product orders soared 45.9% year-on-year.
By region, orders from the United States climbed 40.2%, accelerating from 33.6% in August. Orders from China rebounded 11.6% after a 0.7% decline the previous month. Meanwhile, European orders rose 16.9%, and Japanese orders increased 22.8%.
Analysts say the figures underscore Taiwan’s resilience amid trade headwinds and confirm that AI-related manufacturing demand continues to cushion the impact of tariffs and broader global economic uncertainty.