Celebrations, cultural activities held nationwide to welcome Chinese New Year

Chinese cities have hosted colorful celebratory activities such as bell-ringing, fireworks shows and torch festival to mark the Chinese New Year.

The Beijing Badachu Park rang the New Year's bell at midnight on Wednesday, the eve of the Chinese New Year, with a crowd of visitors gathering around to welcome the arrival of the Year of the Snake. The bell in the park has a history of over 400 years.

"I hope that I will achieve success in my studies and maintain good health in the coming year. Wishing all the Chinese friends a Happy New Year, may everything go well, may you have good health and happy family reunion," said Gayratov Azizbek, an international student from Uzbekistan.

With the countdown to the Chinese New Year, people at Mount Hengshan Scenic Area in Hengyang City of central China's Hunan Province jointly rang the bell, bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new. The brilliant fireworks also lit up the sky, and tourists made good wishes for the New Year.

During this Spring Festival holiday, the scenic spot hosted a series of cultural activities such as dragon and lion dances and a torch festival parade, to celebrate the New Year in a lively and festive atmosphere.

In Huangbai Village in Ningde City of east China's Fujian Province, on Chinese New Year's Eve, villagers brought torch back to their homes from the village and lit the "fire trees" in front of their doors. This symbolizes a year of favorable weather, abundant harvests, and a prosperous life.

"I have heard about this torch festival for a long time and came here specially to see it today. I feel that this event is very meaningful and I hope it will be prosperous in the coming year," said a tourist surnamed Lin. During the Spring Festival holiday, the ancient city of Shanhaiguan Pass in Qinhuangdao City of north China's Hebei Province, is bustling with visitors. People enjoy delicious food, watch light shows and molten iron fireworks here.

"My child has experienced rich festive atmosphere. In the new year, I wish everyone good health, may all your wishes come true, and may your family happily reunite," said Yang Shumei, a tourist from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, fell on Wednesday this year, ushering in the Year of the Snake.

Celebrations, cultural activities held nationwide to welcome Chinese New Year

Celebrations, cultural activities held nationwide to welcome Chinese New Year

A surge in global demand has set Yiwu's manufacturing and logistics chain running at full speed this spring, with factories and shippers all working overtime to meet orders bound for markets worldwide.

Many manufacturers in Yiwu, an eastern Chinese city known as "the world’s supermarket," reported a steady rise in orders in the first quarter of 2026.

Among them are sports goods makers racing to deliver ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

"In the first two months alone, we sent about four containers of goods. Orders have gradually come in from South America and Africa, and the current orders can keep our production running through May," said Wu Xiaoming, general manager of a sports firm in Yiwu.

At Yiwu's bonded zone, customs brokers swiftly checked documents to ensure exports reach global markets fast.

"Today's shipments mainly are kitchenware, tableware and small home appliances. They are mainly bound for Germany and Spain," said Fu Jianying, a customs broker.

Yiwu has now linked 26 international rail freight routes, building a logistics network that covers more than 160 cities in about 50 countries. With smooth transport, creative design and strong manufacturing capacity, the city's cross-border trade is accelerating, underscoring its role as a hub of global small commodities.

Yiwu cross‑border trade gains speed this spring