Southeast Asia passes China as top market for Taiwan's electronics-making machines
Exports of Taiwan's electronics and chip production equipment rose 44.7% from January through August, and shipments to Southeast Asia more than doubled.
Southeast Asia is now the biggest export market for the machines Taiwan builds to make chips, circuit boards and other electronics. From January through August, ASEAN member countries took 37.7% of the industry's exports by value, ahead of mainland China and Hong Kong combined at 33.3%, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (經濟部), or MOEA.
Exports to ASEAN more than doubled, up 109.1%, while total exports rose 44.7% to US$2.6 billion. The ministry ties the shift to Taiwanese manufacturers expanding in Southeast Asia, and to companies gradually moving production back to Taiwan or adding sites outside mainland China amid US-China tech friction.
The industry's output hit a record NT$252.2 billion (about US$7.9 billion) in 2025, up 20.2%, and grew 40.1% from January through July.
Sources: 經濟部 Ministry of Economic Affairs (Department of Statistics)
Editor: Ian Lamont
