Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, reported imports and exports of 3.5 billion U.S. dollars during the first 11 months, according to the statistics offered by the regional trade and development bureau Friday.

The city had a record trade surplus of 418 million U.S. dollars during the period. And its border trade totaled 842 million U.S. dollars, up 72 percent, accounting for 67 percent of the total exports.

The exports for precious metals topped 273 million U.S. dollars, giving a new boom to the city's exports.

Its imports were mainly copper, zinc and cotton, which increased by 39 percent, 1.4 times and 15 percent respectively, while the imports of steel and plastic products saw drastic drops.

Currently, the city has established business contacts with 128 countries and regions, 15 more than last year. The city does 60 percent of its foreign trade business with neighboring Kazakhstan.