The Minister of Finance released Taiwan's monthly exports in August, showing a positive growth in four consecutive months to reach around US$25.64 billion, up 3.6% year on year, as reported by Taiwan's United Daily News on September 10. Shipments of electronic products grew 6.5% year on year to US$7.66 billion, witnessing the third highest level in history and the eleventh consecutive month in which the sector's monthly shipments exceed US$7.1 billion. Exports of mobile phones, despite slight decline to United States and Japan, surged 500% and 30% to Europe and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), respectively. Shipments of chemical products expanded 25.2% year on year to US$1.86 billion on the stable demand from China and ASEAN while mineral products and optical equipment dropped 13.8% and 5.4% year on year, respectively.