Pudong New Area in Shanghai maintained rapid foreign trade growth in the first quarter, with total imports and exports reaching 795.27 billion yuan ($110.45 billion), a quarterly record high that reflects the area's trade resilience and expanding global reach.

According to the Pudong New Area Commission of Commerce, the figure rose 32.8 percent year-on-year, outpacing both Shanghai and the national average. Exports reached 314.62 billion yuan, up 25.7 percent, while imports totaled 480.65 billion yuan, up 37.9 percent.

Pudong's trade network became more diversified. Trade with ASEAN, Latin America and Africa grew 22.8 percent, 13.9 percent and 65.8 percent, respectively. Trade with the European Union, Pudong's largest market, reached 124.02 billion yuan, up 19.9 percent, while trade with Australia, Japan and South Korea also recorded strong growth.

New growth drivers were especially prominent. Pudong exported 35.65-billion-yuan worth of electric vehicles, up 140 percent, with exports to the EU and South Korea rising 94.6 percent and fourfold, respectively. Lithium batteries and photovoltaic products also posted strong gains.

High-end manufacturing added more momentum, with ship and marine engineering equipment exports jumping more than 90 percent and ship-to-shore crane exports doubling. Computer parts exports soared to 280 percent, contributing 12.7 percentage points to Pudong's export growth, showing the area's role in global supply chains.

Pudong New Area's foreign trade reaches a quarterly record high in the first quarter of 2026. [Photo/WeChat ID: pdnews]

[Photo/WeChat ID: pdnews]

Containers are stacked at Shanghai Port. [Photo/IC]