Thousands of tourists and locals gathered at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Wednesday morning, braving the freezing winter cold to witness the New Year's first flag-raising ceremony.
As the sun slowly rises above the horizon, the military band began playing the Chinese national anthem, and the giant red flag was hoisted to the top of the mast.
After witnessing the red flag reached the top of the mast, the crowd at the square erupted in applause and cheers.
"We wish our country enjoy harmony and prosperity!" said the visitors attending the ceremony.
Many of the spectators lined up outside the square at midnight to get a good spot, despite freezing temperatures of about minus eight degrees Celsius.
"We arrived before 3:00. We are university students in Beijing and watching the flag-raising ceremony here tops the must-do list for us since we study and live in the capital," said a visitor.
For some, the solemn flag-raising ceremony gave them a sense of inspiration to kick-start a new year with hope to fulfill their goals.
"Every time I watch the flag-raising ceremony, I feel emotional and deeply moved. This year, I hope to achieve more at work, contributing to our country's development," said a visitor.
Some visitors have traveled a long way from across the country to welcome the new year with this ceremony and share the moment of unity and national pride.
"We came all the way from Shenzhen to witness the flag-raising ceremony. It's an exciting experience. For the New Year, I wish everyone happiness," said a visitor from the tech hub of Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province.
"I come from Sichuan Province and I'm a member of the Tibetan ethnic group. Watching the flag-raising ceremony on the first day of the year feels truly meaningful. For 2025, I wish good health for my family, friends and loved ones," said another visitor from southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Tourists, locals gather in Tiananmen Square to watch first flag-raising ceremony of 2025
The U.S. tariff is set to have a negative impact on cross-border trade between Mexico and the United States, driving up logistics costs and posing broader economic risks, said an industry expert and transport workers.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order on the so-called "reciprocal tariffs," imposing a 10-percent "minimum baseline tariff" and higher rates on certain trading partners.
For Canada and Mexico, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) compliant goods will continue to see a 0 percent tariff, non-USMCA compliant goods will see a 25 percent tariff, and non-USMCA compliant energy and potash will see a 10 percent tariff, according to the White House.
A document released earlier by the White House stated that Trump had signed a proclamation invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose a 25 percent tariff on imports of automobiles and certain auto parts, citing "a critical threat to U.S. national security." The measure took effect on Wednesday, with tariff collection beginning on Thursday.
According to official statistics from the Mexican government, from November 2023 to the end of 2024, goods worth a total of 350 million U.S. dollars were exported by land from Mexico's northern border to the U.S., including about 77 million U.S. dollars worth of goods transported northward from Ciudad Juarez via road and rail to the North American market, primarily consisting of fully assembled automobiles and auto parts.
Since February, the U.S. has repeatedly shifted its stance on tariff measures, leaving many enterprises uncertain and fueling anxiety among drivers traveling between the two countries.
"I have been in this business for eight years. Recently, many companies have suspended deliveries, and many people are waiting to see if prices will rise," said a truck driver.
"I feel uncertain about the future, and imposing tariffs is actually harmful to both the U.S. and our country," said another truck driver.
Manuel Sotelo, Vice President of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (CANACAR) in Northern Mexico, stated that U.S. tariffs on imported cars would have a notable impact on Mexico's vehicle and spare parts transportation, leading to a slight increase in logistics costs for enterprises. However, the uncertainty brought by tariff policies would pose a more significant threat to the economies of both Mexico and the U.S.
"I believe logistics costs will likely rise by about 10 to 15 percent. Mexico is the largest trading partner of the U.S., and also the country that purchases the most goods from the U.S. Any form of tariffs and the resulting cost increases will ultimately lead to inflation, impacting both economies," said Sotelo.
US tariff hurts Mexico-US trade, raises costs, economic risks: Mexican insiders
