In
an unusually frank response, lawmakers said air pollution
prevention laws and fire safety regulations have led to
"differences in understanding" of the ban on fireworks, which
was never absolute.
In 2017, official data showed 444 cities had banned fireworks.
Since then, some cities have scaled back curbs, allowing
fireworks at certain times of the year and at designated venues.
This month, however, many counties rolled out notices
prohibiting fireworks, rekindling discussion on the ban.
"We've the right to fireworks," wrote a user of Weibo, a popular
Chinese microblog.
According to folklore, the earliest fireworks were invented
2,000 years ago to drive away the "nian", a mythical beast that
preyed on people and livestock on the eve of the Lunar New Year,
or Spring Festival.
Since then, fireworks have been used to celebrate other
occasions: this January, after three years of COVID-19 curbs
were lifted, some people defied bans - and authorities - and set
off firecrackers.
But some Chinese said the firework bans were necessary to
protect the environment.
"It should be regulated due to pollution and safety (fire)
hazards," a Weibo user said.
In an online poll by the official Beijing Youth Daily this week,
however, over 80% of respondents expressed support for fireworks
during the Spring Festival, the most important holiday on the
Chinese calendar.
Some also said the ban was ironic after the United Nations last
week adopted the Spring Festival as an official holiday, a move
cheered by Chinese officials.
"The Spring Festival belongs to the world, but China's is almost
gone," wrote another Weibo user.
In southern Hunan province, a major fireworks manufacturing hub,
exports totalled 4.11 billion yuan ($579 million) in January to
November, state media reported, far exceeding domestic sales.
($1 = 7.0974 yuan)
(Reporting by Ryan Woo and Ethan Wang; editing by Miral Fahmy)
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