TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Institute of Economics Research (TIER, 台灣經濟研究院) reported on Wednesday (Feb. 5) that Taiwan's manufacturing sector showed signs of improvement in December 2024.
The economic indicator shifted from sluggish yellow-blue to steady green, driven by the U.S. year-end consumption boom and robust demand for artificial intelligence (AI).
Fueled by rising demand for AI and high-performance computing, the electronics components sector saw a surge in 12-inch wafer foundry, IC packaging and testing, and motherboard production. Export orders in this sector increased by over 30% year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the chemical products industry faced challenges due to an overseas production surplus, leading to decreased petrochemical product orders. However, the demand for pandemic-related cleaning products increased.
The institute cautioned about potential global economic risks from Trump's tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico goods. They advised close monitoring of these developments. Additionally, with its efficient AI models, the rise of Chinese startup DeepSeek has already impacted U.S. tech stocks and Taiwan's supply chain companies, necessitating careful observation of international dynamics.
