Taiwan Chip Exports Sputter on Geopolitical Tensions, Falling Demand

(Bloomberg) — Taiwan’s exports of integrated circuit chips to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong fell for a fourth month in February as Washington-Beijing tensions simmer and demand for electronics continues to drop off. 

Exports of IC chips — which are pivotal components of electronic appliances, computers and smartphones — to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong dropped 31.3% from a year earlier, according to data from Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance. It was the worst decline since 2009, topping January’s 27.1% fall.