Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/08/07
By: Flor Wang and Wu Chia-jung

Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) Taiwan's exports in July fell from June and were slightly down year-on-year due to the ongoing trade disputes between Washington and Beijing, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) reported Wednesday.

Taiwan's exports in July totaled US$28.2 billion, down 0.5 percent year-on-year, while imports hit US$24.64 billion, an annual fall of 5.4 percent, leaving the country with a trade surplus of US$3.56 billion, MOF statistics showed.

Speaking at a news conference, Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) attributed July's drop in export growth to the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, which has slowed global economic expansion.

That has reduced the international prices of raw materials, impacting conventional businesses such as basic metals, rubber, plastic and chemical industries, whose exports all decreased by more than 10 percent last month, she said.    [FULL  STORY]