Multiple Chinese Cities Announce Cancellation of New Year's Eve Celebrations
As 2025 draws to a close, multiple cities across China have issued notices announcing the cancellation of New Year's countdown celebrations and other related events in popular commercial districts. Accompanying measures include traffic controls and crowd restrictions.
On Friday, December 26, 2025, the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau issued a reminder that with New Year's Day (January 1, 2026) approaching, no large-scale public events such as New Year's countdowns would be organized in popular areas, including Beijing Road, Dongshankou, the Canton Tower, Yongqing Fang, Huacheng Square, and the riverside areas along the Pearl River. Authorities also warned that public security controls and temporary traffic restrictions would be implemented in these zones on New Year's Eve.
On Wednesday, December 24, the Public Security Bureau of Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, announced that no events, including countdowns, light shows, or commercial promotions, would be held around the Bell and Drum Towers area on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025. During the control period within the city walls on New Year's Eve, public security and other departments would implement measures for crowd and vehicle flow guidance, diversion, and restriction.
On Thursday, December 25, the city of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, also issued a notice clarifying that no large-scale events such as New Year's countdowns or performances would be organized this year at the downtown Finance Island and Qianxi Plaza. The notice further stated that, given the limited parking availability at popular destinations like the Zhengdong New Area CBD and Zhengdong MixC and their surrounding roads, public security and traffic management departments would implement crowd guidance or temporary traffic control measures on certain road sections as necessary during the holiday period. Specific measures would be subject to official announcements from the relevant departments.
On December 20, 2025, the city of Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, announced that no New Year's Eve-related activities would take place on Huaihe Road Pedestrian Street. The notice also prohibits the setting off of fireworks, as well as the sale, carrying, or releasing of hydrogen balloons and Kongming lanterns (sky lanterns), and the unauthorized use of drones for aerial photography. Furthermore, temporary safety control measures would be implemented for Huaihe Road Pedestrian Street and its surrounding areas, roads, and subway stations based on real-time crowd conditions.
In addition, Suzhou in Jiangsu Province also declared that no New Year's Eve events would be held, while a New Year's music carnival in Suzhou, Anhui Province, has been announced as canceled.