(Yicai Global) Nov. 17 -- Shanghai’s imports and exports of cultural products and artworks this year surpassed CNY10 billion (USD1.4 billion) as of this month in the wake of the city’s Covid-19 outbreak in spring, online news outlet The Paper reported today, citing data made public at the seventh Shanghai Dialogue forum.

Imports and exports of cultural and artistic goods through Shanghai’s free trade zone last year hit a record CNY17.6 billion (USD2.46 billion), putting the city top among national peers, the forum noted.

During the China International Import Expo held between Nov. 5 and 10, deals worth CNY490 million (USD68.8 million) involving nine overseas exhibitors -- including auction houses Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips -- were agreed on a total of 37 Chinese and foreign cultural relics and artworks.

The Shanghai Dialogue, initiated in 2015, has grown into one of the city’s most significant cultural brands and a nationally influential arts and culture conference. As part of events organized for the Shanghai International Artwork Trade Week, the forum was held online for the first time this year and attracted more than 250,000 viewers.

The annual report on the cultural relics and art auction market, compiled by the China Association of Auctioneers and the Yachang Art Research Institute, was also published for the seventh straight year at this year’s forum.

According to the report, the volume and value of auctioned cultural and artistic goods both jumped nearly 30 percent in 2021, with turnover totaling about CNY34.18 billion, a record high since 2014. But only 46 percent of payments had been made as of May 15, also a record.

Editor: Peter Thomas