Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/08
By: Wei Shu and Scully Hsiao
Taipei, May 8 (CNA) Taiwan’s exports and imports took their steepest monthly fall in five years in April because of cheaper oil and fuel prices and slower global economic growth, official data showed Friday.
The value of the country’s exports fell 11.7 percent in April year-on-year to US$23.49 billion in goods last month, while imports tumbled 22.1 percent to US$18.73 billion, according to Ministry of Finance data.
Yeh Maan-tzwu, the head of the ministry’s Department of Statistics, attributed the steep declines to slower global economic growth, cheaper oil and agricultural and industrial materials, and reduced production during the Tomb Sweeping holiday in early April.