TAIPEI - Taiwan's July exports dropped 0.5 percent year on year to $28.2 billion, according to trade data released Wednesday by the island's financial authorities.

Imports in July dropped 5.4 percent from a year ago to $24.64 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $3.56 billion, according to Taiwan's trade data.

For the first seven months, exports dropped by 3 percent from a year earlier to $186.43 billion, while imports stood at $162.92 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $23.51 billion.

The Chinese mainland remained the biggest trade partner of Taiwan in the first seven months, receiving $49.87 billion of the island's exports, or 26.8 percent of the total, according to the data.

During Jan-June period, Taiwan exported $30.88 billion worth of goods to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, $26.12 billion to the United States, $17.51 billion to Europe and $13.33 billion to Japan.