BEIJING, April 13 -- Chinese stocks continued to rise on Monday with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index climbing above 4,100, a new seven-year high.

The index gained 2.17 percent, 87.4 points, to finish at4,121.72, while the Shenzhen Component Index climbed 0.97 percent,136.17 points, to close at 14,149.5.

Total turnover on the two bourses amounted to 1.45 trillion yuan(about 236.18 billion U.S. dollars), up from 1.27 trillion yuan the previous trading day.

Nearly 180 stocks rose by the 10-percent daily limit after across-the-board rises, except for securities and insurance sectors.

Companies related to railways or infrastructure led the rise after the Chinese premier pledged on Saturday to speed up railway construction in central and western regions.

Merging train makers CSR Corporation Ltd. and China CNR Corporation Ltd. jumped by the daily limit to 24.5 yuan and 26.26 yuan per share respectively.

Banks, distilleries and medical equipment makers also performed well.

The B-share market sub-indices outperformed the benchmark index, rising by more than 9 percent and 4 percent on the two exchanges.

The ChiNext Index, a Nasdaq-style board, added 0.98 percent, or24.95 points, to end at 2,577.78 points.

The General Administration of Customs on Monday released China's foreign trade data, a 4.9-percent rise in exports and a17.3-percent dip in imports.