Drones spark traditional industry buzz in China's fireworks capital

BEIJING -- As dusk settles over Liuyang, a small city known as China's "fireworks capital," the weekend sky ignites with a choreographed fusion of tradition and technology.

Here, pyrotechnic craft meets modern innovation: clusters of drones pierce the night, releasing synchronized firework sprays that cascade like meteor showers, their choreographed sparks drawing gasps from the crowds below.

Videos of German shoppers queuing at dawn for Liuyang-made fireworks have recently trended on Chinese platforms, underscoring strong international demand. This "fireworks plus drones" hybrid has also become a global social media phenomenon with a reach extending far beyond domestic audiences.

The industry's reinvention stems from necessity. With environmental regulations and urban safety bans, Liuyang authorities established a dedicated fireworks industrial development center. The vision is to transition from low-margin production to value-added "fireworks plus" models.

"Previously, we sold products or undertook contract manufacturing, but product standards and packaging designs were dictated by others," said Wen Guanghui, chairman of the export branch of the Liuyang Fireworks and Firecrackers Association.

"In recent years, an increasing number of domestic fireworks companies have been launching their own brands overseas. Moving forward, we need to seize opportunities led by technologies such as 'fireworks plus drones' to continuously increase product added value and overall industry profitability," Wen said.

The pivot means a lot. Liuyang commands 60 percent of national exports of fireworks and firecrackers. Its products now reach over 100 countries and regions across the world.

"Our company has developed intelligent, electronic and miniaturized ignition devices. We've also upgraded to using environmentally friendly materials for the fuse covers and casings," said an executive of a local company named Dingteng. "These innovations have effectively expanded our market sales, and we anticipate even more orders this year."

This transformation mirrors broader industrial shifts across China. Traditional industries account for over 80 percent of China's manufacturing sector. These industries are closely tied to people's daily lives and hold significant importance for the national economy.

The Central Economic Work Conference in December 2024 noted that digital and green technologies should be actively used to transform and upgrade traditional industries. Liuyang's case shows that by marrying core competencies with emerging technologies, traditional industries can cultivate innovation cycles where new demand begets new supply and vice versa.

Since 2023, Liuyang has organized nearly 100 creative fireworks events of various types. These events have attracted over 5 million visitors in total, stimulating consumer spending exceeding 15 billion yuan (about $2.1 billion). On the day of the final weekend fireworks show of 2024, the number of spectators around the launch site surpassed 190,000.

This interplay reveals an industrial symbiosis: established sectors anchor the growth of emerging industries, while technological innovations revitalize traditional frameworks. Effective industrial upgrading requires cultivating supply-demand reciprocity.

Liuyang's transformation exemplifies this principle. Innovations like the "Celestial Gateway" fireworks spectacles -- fusing artistic direction, cultural narratives and drone swarm technologies -- directly respond to cultural tourism's demand for emotionally resonant experiences.

China's combination of fireworks and drones has gained international recognition, featuring in events from Paris's Bastille Day to New Year's Eve in Abu Dhabi. These displays have become popular globally, with some products in high demand.

As one impressed foreign spectator commented, "China has brought magic to life."