A large pumpkin created by avant-garde Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama was transported to the exhibition hall of the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) from a bonded warehouse in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone on Monday.

Shanghai Customs said that over 100 artworks from overseas are expected to be exhibited at this year's CIIE via the city's free trade zone, thanks to tax exemption policies tailor-made for the event.

Wang Jiaming, deputy director of an international cultural investment company registered at the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, said that overseas art institutions have been very enthusiastic about participating in the 4th CIIE.

Among the exhibits, there are many "heavyweight" artworks, including paintings, sculptures, contemporary artworks, and cultural relics, Wang said.

To further promote the artwork trading volume and the return of cultural relics, this year's CIIE has established a cultural section in the services trade exhibition area.

The CIIE is the world's first dedicated import exhibition and its three previous editions have seen fruitful outcomes. The 4th CIIE is slated to be held offline in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10 this year.