Taipei - Taiwan's exports rose 21.3 per cent in June to 24.35 billion US dollars over the same period last year, due to brisk demand from China, which has become the island's top market in the past few years, the finance ministry said Monday.

In that month, Taiwan exported 10.12 billion US dollars worth of products to China, up 25.5 per cent from the same period last year, accounting for 41.6 per cent of total exports of the island, the ministry said in a statement.

Imports in June increased 22.5 per cent to 22.86 billion US dollars, compared with the same month last year, allowing the island to register a trade surplus of 1.49 billion dollars, up 4.9 per cent from June in 2007, the statement said.

In the first half of this year, Taiwan exported 134.53 billion US dollars worth of products abroad, up 18.1 per cent over the same period last year, and imported 126.54 billion dollars worth of products from overseas, up 22.4 per cent from June 2007, resulting in a surplus of 7.99 billion US dollars, down 24.5 per cent from the same period last year.

The US was the island's second largest export market in June, receiving 2.63 billion dollars worth of products from Taiwan, down 2.6 per cent, accounting for 10.8 per cent of total Taiwan exports.

Japan was the island's third largest export market in June, taking 1.49 billion worth of products from the island, up 19.8 per cent, accounting for 6.1 per cent of total Taiwan exports. (dpa)