Taipei - Taiwan's exports fell at a slower pace for a fourth consecutive month, with overseas shipments dropping 24.4 per cent in July from a year earlier, the Finance Ministry said Friday.

Exports amounted to 17.27 billion US dollars in July, down 5.59 billion US dollars from the same month a year earlier, but up 330 million US dollars, or 1.9 per cent, from June's 16.95 billion dollars, the ministry said.

The monthly decline was the 11th in a row but was slightly less than the 30.4-per-cent drop registered in June, which was again less than May's decline of 31.4 per cent, it said.

China together with Hong Kong remained Taiwan's biggest export market, with the island shipping 7.09 billion dollars worth of goods to the region, accounting for 41.1 per cent of total export value.

The US followed, buying 1.96 billion dollars worth of goods from Taiwan, accounting for 11.4 per cent of the island's exports, followed by Europe's 1.8 billion dollars, and Japan's 1.21 billion dollars.

Imports amounted to 15.24 billion US dollars in July, down 34.1 per cent from a year earlier, but up 0.4 per cent from June's 15.18 billion US dollars, the ministry said. (dpa)