[Central News Agency] The latest data released by the U.S. government today showed that as the AI technology construction boom pushed up imports, the U.S. trade deficit expanded to a new high since March 2025 in July. The U.S. trade deficit with Taiwan soared to US$20.7 billion in a single month, setting a new historical record.
Agence France-Presse reported that after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, he imposed large-scale tariffs on allies and competitors in order to narrow the trade deficit. Since then, U.S. trade data has continued to fluctuate significantly.
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However, as crude oil and gold exports declined and imports of technology products surged, the trade deficit of the United States, the world's largest economy, expanded to US$88.6 billion (approximately NT$2,799.8 billion) in July, an increase of 24.4% from the previous month.
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Department of Commerce) stated that U.S. exports fell by 2.1% to US$310.7 billion (approximately NT$9.8 trillion) in July; imports increased by 2.8% to US$399.3 billion (approximately NT$12.6 trillion), driven by computers, computer components and semiconductors.
The U.S.'s single-month trade deficit with Taiwan, a hub for chip manufacturing, reached a record high of US$20.7 billion (approximately NT$654.12 billion). The U.S.'s trade deficit with Mexico, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia also hit record highs.
Although Trump's tariff policies have hit many economies that account for the bulk of U.S. trade, U.S. officials have previously been cautious in granting exemptions to various electronic products such as chips and smartphones.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told the U.S. financial media CNBC yesterday that Washington is considering imposing new tariffs on semiconductors, and said that technology giants are aware of the Trump administration's intentions. "You will see a targeted and carefully planned tariff policy. The basic principle is: if you make it in the United States, you don't have to pay taxes."
Over the past year, major companies have stepped up their efforts to import goods before the new round of U.S. tariffs takes effect.
According to service industry survey data from the Institute for Supply Management, business activity in the service industry is expected to grow significantly in August. However, some companies expect to face more challenges in responding to Trump's policies, which have led to higher operating costs.
Although the U.S. Supreme Court overturned many of Trump's global tariff measures in February this year, U.S. officials adopted new tariff policies targeting 60 trading partners in July.
Another individual trade investigation targeting 16 trading partners including China, the European Union (EU) and Taiwan may trigger a new round of tariff measures.
At the same time, the United States is locked in a trade war with neighboring Canada, but the trade deficit between the two countries narrowed slightly in July. Trump imposed 50% tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods just last month, prompting Ottawa to threaten retaliation.
On the other hand, the aftermath of the war in the Middle East has also affected global trade flows, with Iran aggressively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, an important waterway for global energy and fertilizer transportation. (Compiled by: Zhang Mingxuan) 1150904
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