Taiwanese exports of hi-tech goods to China have accelerated in recent months as Chinese companies look to end their reliance on American technology and replace components no longer available due to US sanctions. US president-elect Joe Biden is not expected by analysts to call off the trade war initiated by the Trump administration in July 2018, or ease restrictions on Chinese tech firms such as telecoms network giant Huawei Technologies Co. early in his term. Ongoing hostilities could prove a major boost to Taiwan, a global leader in the production of semiconductors and hi-tech goods, as China still relies on imported technology like computer chips for devices it manufactures. In November, Taiwan’s total exports rose to a record US$32 billion, a jump of 12 per cent over the same month last year, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday, with electronics exports contributing significantly. Some 45.2 per cent of exports went to China and Hong Kong last month, up 17.2 per cent from November 2019. The figure was only a small increase from October, when 44 per cent of Taiwan’s exports landed in the mainland or Hong Kong, up 16.9 per cent from the same period a year earlier. Parts for consumer electronics have made up more than 55 per cent of shipments to mainland China and Hong Kong over the past two months, up 20.1 per cent year on year apiece. Semiconductors account for about 90 per cent of those exports, according to the finance ministry. Total consumer electronics exports stood at US$8.0 billion in November, up slightly from US$7.9 billion in October, but down from a year-to-date high of US$8.5 billion in September, showing steady demand from China. Between January and November, consumer electronics exports were worth US$75.9 billion, up 24.3 per cent over the same period last year. US and China trade tensions may ease under President Biden, but a complete thaw is unlikely Neil Mawston Importers in mainland China and Hong Kong also bought US$1.5 billion in computer products from another export category last month, up 41.3 per cent over November last year. Both the dollar figure and rate of increase set year-to-date records. The trend is unlikely to change even with a new administration in Washington. Mainland China will not have the capacity to design its own chips for technology such as 5G mobile devices, artificial intelligence and autonomous driving for another decade, according to analysts. “US and China trade tensions may ease under President Biden, but a complete thaw is unlikely,” said Neil Mawston, executive director of global wireless practice with the British market research firm Strategy Analytics. “The US and China are competing for control of the world’s mobile tech and both will continue to jockey for position.”