Taipei - Taiwan's exports declined 12.7 per cent in September compared to the previous year, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

The drop was the smallest in 11 months, almost half the level compared with August's 24.6 per cent decline, reflecting a gradual recovery in global demand, the ministry said.

Exports amounted to 19.07 billion US dollars in September, down 2.78 billion US dollars from the same month a year ago, but up 60 million US dollars from August, it said.

China remained Taiwan's biggest export market, with the island shipping 8.22 billion dollars worth of goods to the region, accounting for 43.1 per cent of its total export value.

Europe followed, buying 2.05 billion dollars worth of goods from Taiwan, or 10.8 per cent of the island's exports, followed by US at 1.98 billion dollars and Japan's 1.31 billion dollars.

Imports amounted to 16.52 billion dollars in September, down 21.1 per cent from a year earlier, the ministry said. (dpa)