Pudong spearheads Shanghai's foreign trade growth in H1

Pudong New Area remained the key engine of Shanghai's foreign trade growth in the first half of 2026, with its imports and exports jumping 24.6 percent year-on-year to 1.63 trillion yuan ($240.06 billion).

This outpaced both the Shanghai and national averages, while contributing 80.5 percent of the city's overall foreign trade growth - a record high that reinforces Pudong's role as Shanghai's economic powerhouse.

According to data released by Shanghai Customs on July 21, the city's total foreign trade reached a record 2.55 trillion yuan during the first six months, marking a rise of 18.6 percent.

Pudong accounted for 63.9 percent of the city's total, with exports climbing 28.8 percent and imports up 21.9 percent, making it the primary driver of Shanghai's global trade expansion.

The district's growth has been supported by its continuous industrial upgrading.

Pudong's semiconductor sector continued to expand rapidly, with imports of manufacturing equipment surging 87 percent to 34.21 billion yuan, raising its share of China's total imports in this category to 28.1 percent.

At the same time, fast-growing industries such as artificial intelligence and robotics, together with strong exports of automobiles and ships, have diversified the city's export base.

Leveraging its position as an international aviation and shipping hub, Pudong continues to strengthen Shanghai's role as a global gateway for trade, innovation and high-end manufacturing.