Exports increased nearly 20 percent in January from a year earlier to post growth for the fourth consecutive month.

According to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Thursday, the country’s outbound shipments marked 54-point-69 billion U.S. dollars in January, up 18 percent on-year.

Exports of semiconductors posted the largest gain in 73 months at 56-point-two percent to maintain growth for the third consecutive month, while shipments of automobiles also rose 24-point-eight percent to grow for the 19th straight month.

Exports to China increased 16-point-one percent on-year to ten-point-seven billion dollars in January, rising for the first time in 20 months since May 2022. Shipments to the U.S. also grew for the sixth straight month to post an increase of nearly 27 percent in January.

Imports dropped seven-point-eight percent on-year to around 54-point-39 billion dollars last month, resulting in a trade surplus of 300 million dollars to come in the black for the eighth consecutive month.