According to Taiwan's Ministry of Finance, July exports totaled $75.3 billion, marking the third-highest monthly figure on record and a 32.9% increase year-on-year (Evidence E8). Ministry of Finance Statistics Department Director-General Tsai Mei-na noted that the July export growth rate extended a streak of 33 consecutive months of positive year-on-year growth (Evidence E11). Tsai added that if growth continues into August, Taiwan would match the longest such upward cycle on record, which ran from November 1985 to August 1988 (Evidence E11).
Electronic component exports reached $27.73 billion in July, a new record high and a 50.5% year-on-year increase, according to Tsai Mei-na (Evidence E12). Tsai attributed the growth to three factors: active demand for advanced-process chips, an unresolved structural imbalance in memory supply and demand, and the added benefit of price adjustments (Evidence E12).
ICT and audio-visual product exports reached $31.37 billion in July, marking the fifth consecutive month the category topped $30 billion (Evidence E13). However, the year-on-year growth rate for this category dropped to 29.5%, the lowest reading in 19 months (Evidence E13). Looking at the cumulative figure, ICT and audio-visual exports for the first seven months of the year totaled $218.75 billion, according to Tsai Mei-na, who projected the category would surpass last year's full-year record of $251.15 billion as early as August or by September at the latest, with full-year exports potentially exceeding $300 billion for the first time (Evidence E14).
Imports reached $58.13 billion in July, the highest figure for the month on record, representing a 37.4% year-on-year increase (Evidence E9). After netting imports against exports, Taiwan posted a trade surplus of $17.17 billion in July, an increase of $2.82 billion compared with the same month last year (Evidence E10).
Beyond electronics, mineral product exports climbed 52.1% year-on-year to $1.65 billion, which Tsai Mei-na attributed to tight global refining supply chains and rising oil prices (Evidence E15). Basic metals and related products also posted $2.8 billion in July exports, with both mineral products and basic metals reaching their highest monthly levels in nearly four years (Evidence E15).
| Category | July 2026 Value | Year-on-Year Change | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total exports | $75.3 billion | +32.9% | Third-highest month on record (E8) |
| Total imports | $58.13 billion | +37.4% | Highest July on record (E9) |
| Trade surplus | $17.17 billion | +$2.82 billion vs. last year | (E10) |
| Electronic components | $27.73 billion | +50.5% | New monthly record (E12) |
| ICT & audio-visual products | $31.37 billion | +29.5% | 19-month low growth rate (E13) |
| ICT & AV cumulative (Jan–Jul) | $218.75 billion | — | vs. $251.15 billion full-year 2025 record (E14) |
| Mineral products | $1.65 billion | +52.1% | Near four-year monthly high (E15) |
| Basic metals | $2.8 billion | — | Near four-year monthly high (E15) |
The data show a divergence within Taiwan's electronics-driven export engine: electronic components posted a record $27.73 billion with 50.5% growth (Evidence E12), while the broader ICT and audio-visual products category — despite crossing $30 billion for a fifth straight month — saw its year-on-year growth rate fall to a 19-month low of 29.5% (Evidence E13). At the same time, import growth of 37.4% outpaced export growth of 32.9% (Evidence E8, E9), yet the trade surplus still widened by $2.82 billion to $17.17 billion (Evidence E10), suggesting the surplus expansion was not solely a function of export momentum. Separately, non-electronics categories such as minerals and basic metals — up 52.1% and at four-year monthly highs, respectively — point to price-driven effects from global oil markets rather than the chip-demand dynamics cited for electronic components (Evidence E15, E12).
According to Ministry of Finance Statistics Department Director-General Tsai Mei-na, July 2026 marked 33 consecutive months of year-on-year export growth, with August poised to match the longest such cycle on record, from November 1985 to August 1988.
Tsai Mei-na cited active demand for advanced-process chips, an ongoing structural imbalance in memory supply and demand, and price adjustment effects as the main drivers behind the $27.73 billion in electronic component exports, up 50.5% year-on-year.
Tsai Mei-na said the category's cumulative exports for the first seven months reached $218.75 billion and are projected to surpass last year's full-year record of $251.15 billion by August or September, with full-year 2026 exports potentially exceeding $300 billion for the first time.
According to TechNews and CNA, Winbond Electronics (華邦電) GM Chen Pei-ming warned on August 6, 2026 that 2027 memory shortages will exceed 2026's. CMS revenue rose 78% and Flash revenue rose 65% quarter-over-quarter, backed by NT$39.5 billion in 2026 capex, up over 70-fold year-on-year.
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