The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Taiwan’s import purchases during 2020. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Taiwan.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: US$93.3 billion (32.5% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $43.2 billion (15%)
3. Mineral fuels including oil: $29.6 billion (10.3%)
4. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $14 billion (4.9%)
5. Vehicles: $9.7 billion (3.4%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $7.7 billion (2.7%)
7. Iron, steel: $7.2 billion (2.5%)
8. Organic chemicals: $7.1 billion (2.5%)
9. Other chemical goods: $6.2 billion (2.2%)
10. Copper: $4.9 billion (1.7%)

Taiwan’s top 10 imports accounted for over three-quarters (77.6%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Fastest growers among these top import categories from 2019 to 2020 were optical, technical and medical apparatus (up 14%), vehicles (up 8.2%), miscellaneous chemical goods (up 5.9%) then plastics both as a material and items made from plastics (up 5.3%).

The severest annual declines belong to mineral fuels including oil (down -33.2%) and organic chemicals (down -17.6%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.

Taiwanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical equipment including consumer electronics.

1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$62.6 billion (up 16.6% from 2019)
2. Phone system devices including smartphones: $6.4 billion (up 12.6%)
3. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $2.8 billion (up 15.8%)
4. Printed circuits: $2.7 billion (up 35.4%)
5. Unrecorded sound media: $2.5 billion (up 46.3%)
6. Electrical converters/power units: $2.2 billion (up 22.6%)
7. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1.8 billion (up 19.8%)
8. Electrical capacitators: $1.6 billion (up 27.8%)
9. TV/radio/radar device parts: $1.2 billion (up 17.4%)
10. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $1 billion (up 1.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Taiwanese purchases of unrecorded sound media (up 46.3%), printed circuits (up 35.4%) then electrical capacitators (up 27.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2020.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Taiwanese businesses and consumers.

Taiwanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.

1. Machinery for making semi-conductors: US$18.2 billion (down -5.6% from 2019)
2. Computer parts, accessories: $5.3 billion (up 34.7%)
3. Computers, optical readers: $4 billion (up 13.9%)
4. Turbo-jets: $1.9 billion (down -12.7%)
5. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $1.3 billion (up 11.9%)
6. Miscellaneous machinery: $1.2 billion (up 5.2%)
7. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1 billion (up 19.3%)
8. Air or vacuum pumps: $1 billion (up 4.5%)
9. Temperature-change machines: $547 million (down -6%)
10. Air conditioners: $527.1 million (up 14.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Taiwanese purchases of computer parts or accessories (up 34.7%), taps, valves and similar appliances (up 19.3%) then air conditioners (up 14.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2020.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Taiwanese businesses and consumers.

Taiwanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Crude oil: US$12.6 billion (down -41.1% from 2019)
2. Petroleum gases: $6.1 billion (down -27.7%)
3. Processed petroleum oils: $5.6 billion (down -18.7%)
4. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $4.9 billion (down -29.3%)
5. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $324 million (down -46%)
6. Coke, semi-coke: $62.8 million (down -19.7%)
7. Petroleum oil residues: $48 million (down -12.8%)
8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $34.9 million (down -9.5%)
9. Peat: $1.8 million (down -3.3%)
10. Tar pitch, coke: $1.6 million (up 1.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Taiwanese purchases of tar pitch and coke (up 1.1%) was the sole gainer from 2019 to 2020.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fossil fuels-related products among Taiwanese businesses and consumers.

Taiwanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of optical, technical and medical equipment.

1. Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers: US$4.3 billion (up 21% from 2019)
2. Other measuring/testing machines: $2.9 billion (up 17.7%)
3. Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays): $1.2 billion (up 14.9%)
4. Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: $1.1 billion (up 7.5%)
5. Optical fiber cables, sheets, plates: $972.1 million (up 14.3%)
6. Physical/chemical analysis tools: $804.5 million (up 2.7%)
7. Lenses, prisms, mirrors: $431.9 million (up 0.4%)
8. Orthopedic appliances: $388.3 million (up 2.4%)
9. Regulate/control instruments: $361.2 million (down -6.7%)
10. X-ray equipment: $315.1 million (up 7.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Taiwanese purchases of oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers (up 21%), miscellaneous measuring or testing machines (up 17.7%) then electro-medical equipment including xrays (up 14.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2020.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported optical, technical and medical equipment among Taiwanese businesses and consumers.