The news
US imports from Taiwan hit a record $28.4 billion in September, up 89% from a year earlier, according to Census Bureau data.
Adjusted for seasonal swings, imports from Taiwan rose $4.2 billion from August to $27.3 billion.
The US goods trade deficit with Taiwan widened by $3.6 billion to $21.9 billion, the third largest after Mexico and Vietnam.
The details
The jump coincided with a surge in US computer imports, although those figures cover shipments from all countries. Imports of computers rose $7.6 billion in September, while computer accessories increased $5.7 billion. Semiconductor imports, meanwhile, fell $1.2 billion.
Imports of capital goods, which include computers, rose $11.6 billion.
Total US goods imports hit a record $346.9 billion.
Taiwan’s own export figures point to the same AI-driven surge. Its shipments to the US more than doubled to $27.5 billion in September, according to Taiwan’s trade data. Total exports reached a record $87.2 billion, up 60.9% from a year earlier.
Exports of information, communication and audio-video products roughly doubled to $39.13 billion.
Pantheon Macroeconomics attributed much of the increase to a rebound in AI server shipments. Shipments had fallen sharply in September 2025, making this year's growth rate look larger.
Taiwan also overtook China as a US supplier over the past 12 months for the first time since 1992. US imports from Taiwan totaled $282.5 billion in the 12 months through September, compared with $280.8 billion from China.
Two years earlier, the US imported $109.5 billion from Taiwan and $433.7 billion from China over a 12-month period.
China still led Taiwan in September alone, with US imports totaling $31.5 billion.
US imports from Taiwan in the first nine months of 2026 were 60% higher than a year earlier.
What’s next
The Commerce Department releases October trade figures on Dec 8.
