Taiwan’s imports jumped 38.3% year-on-year to an all-time high of USD 58.91 billion in March 2026, far surpassing market expectations of an 18.1% increase and quickening from February’s 6.8% growth. Demand was especially strong for parts of electronic products (up 63.4%), information, communication and audio-video products (up 131.6%), machinery (up 23.1%), and chemicals (up 12.1%). By contrast, imports of mineral products fell 17.8%, driven largely by a 42.9% plunge in petroleum.
By source, imports rose most sharply from ASEAN (up 70.8%), Korea (up 69.5%), Mainland China and Hong Kong (up 38.1%), Japan (up 30.8%), the USA (up 18%), and Europe (up 12.9%). In stark contrast, imports from the Middle East dropped 34.7%. Over the first quarter of 2026 as a whole, total imports reached USD 142.78 billion, an increase of 34.8% from the same period a year earlier.
