Chinese cities of Jincheng and Mianyang have brought vibrant celebrations for the 2025 Spring Festival with molten iron fireworks shows and drone performances, blending tradition with modern spectacle.
In Jincheng City's Situ Village, north China's Shanxi Province, the breathtaking molten iron fireworks show, a traditional Chinese folk art preserved as a national intangible cultural heritage, illuminated the night sky.
Enhanced with modern lighting and stage designs, the dazzling sparks of molten iron created a vivid festive atmosphere, offering visitors a mesmerizing and festive visual feast.
"Watching the molten iron fireworks show in Jincheng was truly stunning. I felt immersed in the charm of China's intangible cultural heritage," said Liu Mengjiao, a tourist.
Meanwhile, in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, a fleet of drones created a spectacular fusion of technology and tradition. The drones performed alongside traditional Chinese New Year elements like dragon dances, adding a unique touch of innovation to the festive atmosphere.
At 19:00 on Wednesday, the night sky above the local drone testing base lit up, weaving together breathtaking scenes of the molten iron fireworks show that left the audience in awe.
"The combination of drones and traditional heritage was incredibly innovative. We could appreciate both the beauty of modern technology and our rich intangible cultural heritage," said Shi Chengyi, a tourist.
The drone formations also showcased Beichuan's specialties, effectively integrating local industries with modern technology. This blend allowed spectators to enjoy the drone display while discovering the distinct appeal of Beichuan.
"We aim to connect modern technology with traditional cultural heritage, helping more people, especially the young generation, appreciate Spring Festival culture and Beichuan's Qiang ethnic heritage," said Tan Hui, head of the Beichuan low-altitude light show.
Chinese cities celebrate Spring Festival with dazzling cultural, drone displays
China's private enterprises are embracing emerging technologies and industries, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the low-altitude economy, to reduce costs, enhance benefits, and drive their growth.
The declining cost of AI applications has fueled a surge in demand for the technology within the private enterprise sector, with some companies leveraging it as a powerful tool to reduce labor costs.
"Of course, I'd like to fully embrace AI. We have already laid a solid foundation in utilizing AI technology for clearing goods both online and offline, managing inventory, and forecasting orders. Large language models have made significant breakthroughs in managing the entire supply chain, including nighttime sales and eliminating the need for night shift personnel," said Zhang Wenzhong, founder of Wumart Group, a leading Chinese retailer and supermarket chain.
In addition, private enterprises are actively exploring the low-altitude economy, as the research and development of low-altitude aircraft, the creation of low-altitude logistics application scenarios, and the construction of new infrastructure show great potential.
One of these companies is Zall Holding Co., Ltd., which primarily invests in advanced manufacturing, modern services, and other related industries.
"It is expected that domestically produced light aircraft will go into production in 2025. We have also invested in the research and development of airships, with the first test flight successfully conducted at the end of last year. I believe that 2025 will truly be the inaugural year for industrial applications in the low-altitude economy," said Yan Zhi, chairman of Zall Holdings Co., Ltd.
Meanwhile, private enterprises in traditional manufacturing are exploring overseas industrial chain markets, aiming to seize potential opportunities in emerging growth markets.
"Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are all growth markets. Going overseas requires achieving synergy within the industrial chain and forming complementary, coordinated development with the industries of host countries. We should explore overseas markets through collaboration, leveraging each other's strengths for mutual benefit," said Ding Liguo, president of Shanghai Delong Steel Group Co., Ltd.
China's private enterprises embrace emerging industries to boost growth