Taiwan's export orders shattered all previous records in March, reaching $91.1 billion — a 65.9% jump from the same month last year and the highest single-month figure the island has ever posted, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced Wednesday.
The result caps a remarkable first quarter: cumulative orders for January through March hit $231.9 billion, up 50% year-on-year, setting a new quarterly record in what is historically a slow period for Taiwanese exporters.
AI Demand the Clear Driver
MOEA Statistics Department Director Huang Wei-chieh (黃偉傑) credited the surge to relentless demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure, high-performance computing, and cloud data services, which has rippled across Taiwan's broader supply chains. Commodity price increases and a renewed willingness among customers to restock inventories added further momentum, he said.
The technology breakdown underscores how thoroughly AI has reshaped Taiwan's order book. Information and communications technology orders more than doubled, rising 120.9% year-on-year, while electronics climbed 73.7%. Optical equipment — buoyed by demand for precision inspection and measurement instruments — posted a 4.2% gain.
Traditional industries also benefited. Machinery orders rose 20.8%, driven by semiconductor fabrication and automation equipment. Chemical products and plastics and rubber goods advanced 14.7% and 9.2% respectively, supported by pharmaceutical and industrial demand alongside improved restocking sentiment. Even base metals edged up 2.9%, as AI-related appetite for copper foil and copper-clad laminates, combined with higher copper prices, lifted the category.
A Structural Advantage in Turbulent Times
The figures arrive against a backdrop of elevated geopolitical uncertainty and volatile energy markets in the Middle East. Yet Taiwan's order intake has remained resilient — a fact Huang attributed to what he called the island's structural "moat": its commanding position in the global AI supply chain.
Citing assessments from the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank, Huang said Taiwan's deep integration into AI-related manufacturing is helping to cushion the economic impact of regional instability. He added that Taiwan's economic growth forecast may yet be revised upward even as conditions elsewhere deteriorate.
Outlook: Risks Remain, but AI Tailwinds Are Strong
The Statistics Department cautioned that trade protectionism and geopolitical friction continue to weigh on the global economy. But it expressed confidence that accelerating AI adoption worldwide, combined with sustained investment in AI infrastructure across major economies, will keep demand strong for Taiwan's advanced semiconductor processes and server supply chains — providing durable support for export orders in the months ahead. （Related： From Taipei to Grenoble: Taiwan and France Unite on Quantum Tech, AI and Semiconductors ｜ Latest ）
