American socialite Paris Hilton checked out Shanghai fashions, cuddled stuffed pandas and sauntered along the famous Bund waterfront on Thursday while visiting China's most style-conscious city for the MTV Style awards.

"Shanghai looks like the future!" Hilton said in a news conference at the Hyatt on the waterfront, one of the newest landmarks in a city teeming with new skyscrapers.

The celebrity heiress, author, singer, perfume designer and reality TV star was spending two days touring China's commercial capital before Friday night's gala awards for Chinese style and fashion trendsetters.

A visit to the city's jam-packed Yu Yuan Garden gave her an authentic taste of Shanghai's juicy steam buns and flower tea.

But Hilton, unfazed by the throngs of onlookers, carried on with her shopping, pausing to hug an elderly lady and to pose in several dresses by Chinese designer Lu Kun, one of the city's hottest new fashion stars.