In the first eight months of the year, Taiwan's export orders rose 21.1 percent year-on-year to US$454.15 billion, the data showed. The information and communications industry posted US$17.06 billion in export orders, up 20.6 percent year-on-year, also boosted by robust demand for AI- and cloud-related products. The plastics and rubber industry reported US$1.39 billion in export orders, down 15.3 percent, as oversupply hurt demand. The chemical industry also struggled, posting a 9.5 percent year-on-year decline in export orders to US$1.41 billion amid escalating global competition. Huang said Taiwan is well-positioned in the current AI boom, making it possible for export orders to hit a new high in 2025.