The total value of Shanghai's foreign trade in the first three quarters hit 2.92 trillion yuan ($457.55 billion), up 15.4 percent from the same period last year, according to Shanghai Customs.

The city in East China posted an increase in exports of 9.9 percent to 1.1 trillion yuan during the period, while imports rose 19.1 percent to 1.82 trillion yuan.

The value of Shanghai's foreign trade in the first three respective quarters, was 879.16 billion yuan, 1.01 trillion yuan and 1.04 trillion yuan – up 16.2 percent, 21.9 percent and 9.2 percent year-on-year. 

For the month of September alone, total imports and exports rose to 351.62 billion yuan, up 4.4 percent year-on-year, maintaining growth for the 16th consecutive month.

In the first three quarters, Shanghai's foreign trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative increased by 17.3 percent year-on-year. The European Union, ASEAN, the United States and Japan remained Shanghai's top trading partners.

In addition, exports of automobiles, containers and container ships surged 224 percent, 448.8 percent and 646.2 percent, respectively, from January to September this year.      

During that period, Shanghai imported 386.29 billion yuan of consumer goods, up 19.8 percent. Of that, imports of clothing, bags, watches, jewelry and works of art all increased by more than 40 percent – especially jewelry and works of art, up 71.1 percent and 260 percent respectively.