TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The United States emerged as Taiwan's top export market in 2025, with orders totaling US$268.34 billion (around NT$8.48 trillion), Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs announced Tuesday (Jan. 21). The figure represents a 38.6% increase from 2024 and accounts for 36.1% of Taiwan's total orders. December 2025 orders reached US$28.39 billion (around NT$897.1 billion), reflecting a 55.3% year-over-year increase.
The ASEAN (東協) region, with US$139.54 billion (around NT$4.41 trillion) in orders, surpassed China and Hong Kong for the first time to become Taiwan's second-largest export market. In December 2025, both the U.S. and ASEAN achieved record-high monthly orders, totaling US$28.39 billion (around NT$897.1 billion) and US$13.54 billion (around NT$427.9 billion), respectively. China and Hong Kong saw orders rise by 15% to US$13.18 billion (around NT$416.5 billion).
U.S. orders primarily stemmed from the AI supply chain, with automotive components expected to boost orders further following the finalization of Taiwan-U.S. tariff negotiations. Huang Wei-chieh (黃偉傑), director of the Ministry of Economic Affairs' (MOEA) department of statistics, addressed the automotive sector. He noted that "the demand for automotive components has not significantly recovered" due to increased costs from tariffs and inventory adjustments in the U.S. market.
Huang expressed optimism, stating that with the Taiwan-U.S. tariff agreement, "Taiwan can compete on equal footing with Japan, South Korea, and Europe, enhancing the competitiveness of automotive components." Traditional industries, including machine tools, machinery, and automotive components, will compete based on product quality and service once tariff conditions are standardized. This development positions Taiwan's manufacturers to expand their presence in the competitive global automotive supply chain.