Taiwan Jan exports 21.2 yy vs 20 forecast in Reuters poll
Exports to China 33.5 yy previous month 16.4
Finance ministry expects Feb exports 7 to 11 yy
Ministry sees no significant recovery in short term

TAIPEI, Feb 7 Reuters Taiwan39;s exports fell for a fifth straight month in January due to a deteriorating global economy and factory closures during the long Lunar New Year holiday, with the outlook remaining poor in the short term.

Exports dropped 21.2 by value last month from a year earlier to 31.51 billion, the Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday.

That followed a 12.1 drop in December, and was slightly worse than Reuters poll forecast for a 20 contraction.

The ministry said seasonally weaker global demand after the yearend festive period and fewer working days, as the Lunar New Year fell in January this year, dragged on exports.

Taiwan39;s total shipments of electronics components in January fell 20.1 to 12.72 billion, the worst decline in 11 years, with semiconductor exports down 18.3 from a year earlier.

Firms such as TSMC, the world39;s largest contract chipmaker, are major suppliers to Apple Inc and other global tech giants, as well as providers of chips for auto companies and lowerend consumer goods.

United Microelectronics Corp, a smaller competitor of TSMC, reported on Monday that January sales dropped 4.31 yearonyear.

At 10.44 billion in January, Taiwan39;s exports to China, the island39;s largest trading partner, plummeted 33.5 from a year earlier,…