Chinese cities are massively canceling New Year's Eve parties. They talk about a mysterious “higher power”
The announcement by the organizers of a popular fireworks show in the Qingyifang Yunlang art district in Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province in northeastern China, caught the special attention of observers.
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Why is China canceling New Year's Eve parties?
Which cities in China have canceled fireworks displays?
What reasons do the authorities give for canceling events?
What do Internet users say about the New Year's Eve situation in China?
“Deadly silence” instead of fun? China cancels New Year's Eve parties
“We wanted to honor you with fireworks in the last moments of 2025, but due to force majeure and factors that we must respect, this promise to the night sky cannot be fulfilled for now,” local authorities said in a statement, emphasizing that “a sincere apology is better than silence and lies.”
In an interview with PAP, a 30-year-old resident of Changchun expressed his belief that there would be “death silence” in the city on New Year's Eve.
The situation is similar in large cities across the country. In Guangzhou, Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Hefei and Suzhou, authorities announced there would be no pyrotechnics and light shows or a mass countdown before midnight, but imposed tight police controls in city centers to prevent spontaneous gatherings.
These decisions caused disappointment among users of Chinese social networking sites. Internet users asked how the government intends to stimulate the country's lagging consumption if it also bans events that drive the economy. There has been speculation that the real reason is a lack of funds in indebted local governments or the central authorities' fear of uncontrolled crowds.
Some network users resignedly admitted that in times of economic crisis, “security is the most important thing.”
