The old double-E

UK manufacturers complaining about cheap imports should find the comments of Rock Hsu, chairman of Taiwan’s Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association, of interest.

This week he said global demand had boosted Taiwan’s output of electrical goods and consumer electronics by 7.4% last a year

“Taiwan’s double-E (electrical and electronic) industry has made a great contribution to the nation’s economy,” said Rock. Taiwan’s double-E sector accounted for US$136.5bn last year, benefiting from rising demand for mobile phones, computers and electrical goods and accounted for nearly 50% of Taiwan’s total industrial output

Rock Hsu said the double-E industry’s export value alone reached US$65.2bn, a 10.4% growth over last year. To reflect increased optimism for export growth the Taiwanese government has raised its economic forecast for this year to 5.41% from 4.7%.