Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/07/07 19:58:20
By: Pan Chi-i, Maria Tsai and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) Taiwan’s exports contracted 13.9 percent in June year on year, the fifth consecutive month in which they registered a drop, according to customs statistics released Tuesday by the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

June exports amounted to US$23.07 billion, while imports in the same month fell 16.1 percent year on year to US$20.89 billion, the tallies show. The trade balance for the month was favorable, reaching US$2.18 billion, the ministry said.

Yeh Maan-tzwu (葉滿足), director of the MOF’s Statistics Department, said the export decline was more serious than an earlier ministry prediction of 9 percent to 10 percent, and that it represented the biggest fall in terms of exports in a single month over the past six years.     [FULL  STORY]