Taiwan's indirect trade with China rose 24.5 percent year-on-year to US$14.87 billion in the five months ending in May mainly due to strong demand in the mainland, the Board of Foreign Trade (BOFT) said yesterday.
Taiwan's exports to China, most of them via Hong Kong, surged 26.2 percent year-on-year to US$11.996 billion during the period, making the mainland Taiwan's leading export market, BOFT said.
Taiwan's imports from China rose 18 percent year-on-year to US$2.875 billion.
"The Chinese mainland has seen its products retaining a competitive edge in overseas markets this year, particularly since May, as the renminbi keeps pegging the weak US dollar.
"Its booming exports have subsequently sparked a strong demand for Taiwan's raw materials and semi-finished products," the BOFT said.
Taiwan's mainland-bound investment amounted to US$12.72 billion in the five months to May, an increase of 13 percent year-on-year.
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