Taiwan May export orders rise on robust AI demand; geopolitical risks seen

Taiwan’s export orders rose in May as demand for the island’s technology products – artificial intelligence in particular – surged, and companies frontloaded business to escape looming U.S. tariffs.

Export orders rose 18.5% year on year in May to $57.93 billion for a fourth consecutive monthly gain, the ministry of economic affairs said on Friday, in line with analysts’ expectations of an increase of 18.9%.

Orders for goods from Taiwan, home to the world’s largest contract chipmaker TSMC and other tech companies, are considered a bellwether of global technology demand.