TAIPEI, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's exports rose in June to the highest ever level for the period after dropping for seven consecutive months, the latest trade data revealed.

Exports increased 0.5 percent year on year to 28.39 billion U.S. dollars in June, while imports rose 6.6 percent from the previous year to 24.51 billion dollars, resulting in a trade surplus of 3.87 billion dollars, according to Taiwan's trade data.

For the first six months, exports dropped by 3.4 percent from a year earlier to 158.23 billion dollars, while imports stood at 138.29 billion dollars, resulting in a trade surplus of 19.95 billion dollars.

The Chinese mainland remained the biggest trade partner of Taiwan in the first six months, receiving 42.16 billion dollars of the island's exports, or 26.6 percent of the total, according to the data.

During the six-month period, Taiwan exported 26.16 billion dollars worth of goods and services to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, 22.05 billion dollars to the United States, 15 billion dollars to Europe and 11.45 billion dollars to Japan.