Taiwan September export orders hit record high on AI demand, rising 62.4%

Taiwan’s export orders continued to benefit from demand related to artificial intelligence (AI). The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced on Oct. 20 that export orders totaled US$114.21 billion in September 2026, a monthly record and a 62.4% increase from a year earlier. Orders have now grown year on year for 20 consecutive months and exceeded US$100 billion for a second straight month.

According to a Reuters report, September’s increase was higher than the market forecast of 58.7%. Orders totaled about US$103 billion in August, underscoring continued strong global demand for Taiwan semiconductors, servers and other technology products.

The ministry said applications related to AI, high-performance computing and cloud services were key drivers of export orders. By category, orders for telecommunications products rose 87.3% year on year in September, while orders for electronic products increased 71.0%. By major market, orders from the United States rose 79.4%, followed by increases of 68.0% in Europe, 35.5% in Japan and 48.5% in China.

The ministry forecast that export orders could rise by 62% to 67% year on year in October, with full-year orders potentially reaching US$1.1 trillion. However, it also warned that geopolitical risks and changes in trade policies in various countries could still affect the global economy and companies’ ability to secure orders.

Export orders are generally regarded as an important indicator of Taiwan’s manufacturing sector and global technology demand. As AI data centers, semiconductors and cloud infrastructure continue to expand, Taiwan’s supply chain remains positioned for growth. Future performance, however, will also depend on the scale of global corporate AI investment, end-user demand and changes in the international trade environment.