Xinhua Headlines: Chinese fireworks add festive cheer to global New Year celebrations

* As the world's largest production and trade hub for fireworks and firecrackers, Liuyang, in central China's Hunan Province, has a history of making fireworks that dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

* Today, fireworks from Liuyang and other regions in China are exported to markets across Europe, North America and Africa, bringing joy and fun to people around the world.

* In recent years, Liuyang's fireworks enterprises have increased investment in technological research and development, focusing on improving product quality and safety.

BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- During the recent New Year's Eve celebrations, spectacular fireworks once again lit up skies worldwide, heralding the arrival of the year 2025.

Behind the joy and excitement of people setting off fireworks, Liuyang, a small city known as China's "fireworks capital," has played a pivotal role.

At the turn of the year, videos of German consumers queuing outside supermarkets at dawn to grab Chinese fireworks went viral on Chinese social media platforms. Many of the sought-after products were manufactured in Liuyang, in central China's Hunan Province.

As the world's largest production and trade hub for fireworks and firecrackers, Liuyang has a history of making fireworks that dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Among its many fireworks producers in Liuyang, Shiu Fung Fireworks Trading (Changsha) Ltd. has established itself as a prominent fireworks exporter, boasting decades of experience in exporting to Germany.

"This kind of frenzy happens almost every year. We're used to it, and we're delighted they enjoy Chinese fireworks," said Xu Yunxiang, the company's general manager.

Xu's remarks resonate with the trends observed in the German market. Like many countries, the tradition of setting off fireworks has long been an integral part of the New Year celebrations in Germany.

Through the first three quarters of 2024, Germany imported a total of 25,900 tonnes of fireworks, up 6.8 percent during the same period in the previous year, with China supplying 99 percent of them, according to the Federal Statistical Office in Germany.

China is the world's largest producer of fireworks, accounting for 90 percent of global production and approximately 80 percent of international trade volume, according to a report released by Zero Power Intelligence Group, an industry research company in China.

Today, fireworks from Liuyang and other regions in China are exported to markets across Europe, North America and Africa, bringing joy and fun to people around the world.

In 2024, China exported 408,396 tonnes of fireworks and firecrackers, with a total export value of some 8.27 billion yuan (about 1.15 billion U.S. dollars), according to the General Administration of Customs of China.

Of that, Liuyang's fireworks and firecrackers industry achieved an export value of 6.58 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 24.9 percent.

The city is home to 431 fireworks and firecracker manufacturing enterprises, along with 658 trading, wholesale, and storage companies, which together form a comprehensive industrial chain that creates over 300,000 jobs.

The annual output value of Liuyang's fireworks industry now exceeds 50 billion yuan.

As the Chinese Spring Festival approaches, Liuyang's fireworks enterprises have entered their peak production and sales season.

Showrooms are crowded with buyers negotiating orders, workshops are bustling with workers rushing to fulfill them, and transport vehicles line up at warehouse entrances, ready to deliver goods.

As public expectations for fireworks continue to rise, people's demand extends beyond mere visual spectacle to encompass quality, safety, and innovation.

In recent years, Liuyang's fireworks enterprises have increased investment in technological research and development, focusing on improving product quality and safety.

The performance and stability of fireworks have significantly improved, enhancing their competitiveness in the international market.

"Liuyang's fireworks offer a diverse range of products, spanning from personal entertainment fireworks to those designed for large-scale festive events, covering nearly every category in the fireworks industry," said Wen Guanghui, chairman of the export branch of the Liuyang Fireworks and Firecrackers Association.

"The popularity of Liuyang's fireworks is the result of a rich historical legacy, exquisite craftsmanship, market expansion efforts and cultural heritage," Wen noted, adding that beyond being a part of China's traditional culture, the fireworks also serve as a bridge connecting people around the world through shared celebrations and emotions.

(Video reporters: Dai Bin, Zhang Yujie ; Video editors: Li Ziwei, Li Qin and Lin Lin)  ■