Gate News message, April 22 — Taiwan's export orders jumped 65.9% year-on-year in March, marking the fastest pace since January 2010, driven by robust demand for AI, high-performance computing, and cloud products. The growth exceeded the forecasted 44.1% increase.
Orders from the United States climbed 76.4% and those from ASEAN rose 94.4%. Telecommunications product orders surged 120.9%, while electronic products grew 73.7%. Regional demand was broad-based, with orders from China up 45.7%, Europe up 45.2%, and Japan up 32.9%.
Taiwan's central bank raised its 2026 growth forecast to 7.28% from 3.67%, following the economy's 8.68% expansion in 2025, fueled by AI infrastructure spending from companies including Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) plays a central role in the global AI buildout, holding a dominant position in advanced chipmaking at scale. The U.S. reduced tariffs on Taiwan imports to 15% from 20% under a deal linked to investment pledges.