Supply Chain Research

Taiwan’s exports jumped 27% in February vs. a year earlier, the fastest rate since February 2011 and well above the 17% expected by economists. While the timing of the lunar new year will have had an effect, this was the fifth month of growth. The expansion was broad-based, but led by a 35% climb in semiconductor exports. Total shipments to mainland China and Hong Kong surged by 49%, likely soaking up a large part of the semiconductor growth. These were 53% of China’s imports from Taiwan in 2016. U.S. trade policy volatility is less important for Taiwan – it took just 12% of Taiwan’s exp...