Ministry of Finance: Taiwan to Accompany AI, Exports Estimated to Hit New High in First Half

(Central News Agency reporter Lu Yen-tzu, Taipei, 8th) In April this year, both import and export scales reached the second highest single-month record in history, second only to March's level. Officials from the Ministry of Finance pointed out that benefiting from the continued trend of "accompanying artificial intelligence (AI)," exports in the first half of this year are expected to be "not weak during the off-season," likely setting a new historical high for the same period, with an annual growth rate of 30% to 40%. If successfully achieved, this would mark the second fastest growth rate for the same period in history.

The Ministry of Finance today announced preliminary statistics on customs imports and exports for April. April exports reached US$67.62 billion, a year-on-year increase of 39%, and imports reached US$53.27 billion, a year-on-year increase of 29.2%. Both import and export scales set new single-month second highest records in history.

Cai Meina, Director-General of the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Finance, analyzed that according to international forecasting agencies, uncertainties such as the volatile situation in the Middle East indeed bring pressure to the global economic fundamentals this year. However, the overall AI-driven industrial paradigm shift is still accelerating, and the positive benefits it brings continue to spread outwards. Therefore, the stable pattern of global economic trends is not expected to be disrupted.

Cai Meina explained that the application areas of AI continue to expand, and the demand for computing power and advanced process chips only increases. Taiwan's semiconductor and information and communication technology industrial chains are quite complete, and semiconductors also have advantages such as leading technology and production efficiency. Therefore, Taiwan's exports have clearly benefited in the past two years, performing exceptionally well. It can be said that the keynote of "accompanying AI" should remain unchanged.

Cai Meina stated that the export value for May is estimated to be between US$67.8 billion and US$70.9 billion, with a year-on-year growth rate between 31% and 37%, surpassing the previous expectations of the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics of the Executive Yuan.

She also said that the possibility of exports in the first half of this year being "not weak during the off-season" is very high. In addition to potentially setting the highest scale for the same period in history, the growth rate will also be the second fastest for the same period in history, estimated to be between 30% and 40%, second only to the 49.2% year-on-year growth rate in the first quarter of 1999 (Republic of China calendar). The probability of this coming true is "almost certain, a sure thing." (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150508