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Taiwan's industrial production index hit a new high in April on strong global demand for semiconductors, flat panel displays, machinery and cars, according to the country's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).
 
The industrial production index rose 31.38 percent from a year earlier to 120.84 in April, marking the sixth consecutive month that a year-on-year increase of over 30 percent has been recorded.
 
The subindex for the machinery segment rose 76.86 percent, while industrial output in basic metal manufacturing increased 45.94 percent and output of metal product manufacturing surged by 40.56 percent, all compared with April 2009.
 
Huang Chi-shih, director of the ministry's statistics department, said such high growth had not even been recorded during the economic booms in 2004 and 2007.
 
Mr. Huang said that, if the momentum continues, the industrial production index could rise by more than 30 percent in the first half of this year.