News
US imports of AI chips and servers from Taiwan surpass mainland China in December 2023
Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 06:57 AM
In December, US imports from Taiwan, driven by a surge in AI chips and servers, exceeded imports from mainland China for the first time since May 1992. US imports from Taiwan more than doubled to $24.7 billion, while imports from mainland China decreased by nearly 44% to $21.1 billion. This shift is attributed to increased supply of AI chips and servers from Taiwan and the impact of former President Trump's tariffs, which have altered trade flows. For 2024, mainland China is projected to remain the largest Asian exporter to the US at over $438 billion, though this is a decrease from previous figures, while Taiwan's exports to the US are expected to increase significantly to over $201 billion.
Context
AI infrastructure demand has ignited a supercycle in high-end PCB and ABF substrate supply chains as server architectures transition to higher specifications. Goldman Sachs projects the global AI server PCB market will surge to $27.1B by 2027, with year-over-year growth exceeding 110% in 2026. This growth is driven by the adoption of M9-grade materials for high-performance computing. Taiwan Union Technology is capturing this shift via Nvidia’s next-generation supply chain, with its price target raised to NT$2,250.
Unimicron is also benefiting, securing major ASIC projects for Meta and Google. Analysts raised Unimicron’s price target to NT$925, forecasting 2026 EPS to hit NT$37.90. Elite Material is expected to see its 2026 EPS reach NT$28.39 as it absorbs supply shortages. Geopolitical tailwinds further support this trend; Taiwanese firms face a competitive 15% U.S. export duty versus China’s 45%, solidifying Taiwan’s role as the primary global source for AI-critical components through 2027.
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