Taiwan's exports to mainland up 6.3 pct. in 2018

Taiwan's exports to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong rose 6.3 percent to 138.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, accounting for 41.2 percent of its total exports, according to the island's finance authority Monday.

More than 47 percent of its exports to the mainland and Hong Kong are electronic devices, followed by other items including chemical products, information and audio-visual products, and plastic rubber and its products.

Taiwan's imports from the mainland and Hong Kong jumped 7.1 percent year-on-year to 55.2 billion dollars, taking about 19.3 percent of its total imports.

In December, its exports to the mainland and Hong Kong dropped 9.9 percent year-on-year to 11.54 billion dollars and its imports from the mainland and Hong Kong edged up 1.2 percent to 4.72 billion dollars.

Taiwan's total exports fell 3 percent year-on-year to 28.61 billion dollars in December while its imports increased by 2.2 percent to 23.89 billion dollars.

Taiwan's exports are unlikely to expand massively in the first quarter this year as the prices of international crude oil and raw materials have softened amid a weak global economy, the island's financial authority said.