January 23, 2007
2006 was a strong year for Taiwan trade, as total trade volume posted record growth and the trade surplus reached the third-highest level ever.
Trade volume for 2006 totaled
USD 420 billion, according to the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT). The BOFT has set a 10% growth target for trade in 2007.
Taiwan's trade surplus for 2006 totaled
USD 21.29 billion -- the third highest on record, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF).
According to MOF statistics, in Dec. 2006, exports totaled
USD 19.58 billion while the trade surplus totaled
USD 2.9 billion, growing by 9.1% over the same period the previous year. This was the tenth month in a row for a surplus and the third highest ever in a single month. Imports grew by 16.4%
For the entire year of 2006, exports totaled
USD 224 billion, a 12.9% increase over the previous year, while imports totaled
USD 202.71 billion, an 11% increase. The trade surplus for the entire year was
USD 21.29 billion, a 34.6% increase over the previous year.
Lee Li-shu, director of the MOF statistics department, said that Taiwan exports to Europe and Korea last year increased by over 16%, with continued growth also seen in exports to Hong Kong/China, ASEAN, and Japan. Exports to Italy and France saw the highest growth, mainly in machinery and basic metals, while exports to Korea consisted mostly of machinery and electronics products.
Lee said that last year Taiwan exports to Hong Kong and China -- Taiwan's biggest export destination -- reached
NTD 89.2 billion and comprised 39.8% of all exports, the highest ever.
While a slowdown is expected for the global economy, demand will remain strong for semiconductors and electronics, which means stable growth for Taiwan trade, said Lee.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics has projected an increase in both Taiwan exports and imports, at 6.1% and 6% respectively, as well as a higher trade surplus of
USD 21.3 billion.
(Central News Agency, Taipei Times)
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