Taiwan Smashes Its Own Record: $87.2 Billion in Exports in One Month, and AI Is Behind It All
Taiwan’s exports in September reached a record $87.22 billion, 60.9 percent more than a year earlier, driven by demand for AI products.
Taiwan’s exports in September reached a record $87.22 billion, 60.9 percent more than in the same month last year, according to data released on October 8. The previous record was from August: $82.4 billion, an increase of 41 percent, the 34th consecutive month of growth. The trend is driven by demand for products linked to artificial intelligence, above all chips and servers.
The August figures show how concentrated that growth is: information, communications and audiovisual products together with electronic components made up 78.7 percent of total exports. Imports in August rose 44.3 percent to $60.1 billion, and the trade surplus reached a record $22.3 billion. The ministry expected strong momentum through the end of the year.
For the world, it is a signal that investment in data centers is not slowing. For Taiwan, it is also a risk: when nearly four-fifths of exports depend on two product groups, any shock in the AI cycle is felt directly in the state treasury. The record is good news on paper — the question is how long it can last.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 9, 2026
