Fireworks companies in Hunan province said the country's dominance in fireworks production, with superior product quality and variety compared to competitors like Mexico, India and Brazil, can help it withstand the impact of the threat of new tariffs by the United States.

While short-term disruptions persist, they remain optimistic about long-term demand and are leveraging industry events and market diversification to navigate tariff-related uncertainties, they told China Daily during the 19th International Symposium on Fireworks, which is being held in Liling, Hunan, from Monday to Friday.

Government and business representatives, industry experts, distributors and buyers from over 60 countries, including the United States, France and Germany, gathered to explore high-quality development in the fireworks industry.

Liling and its neighboring Liuyang are part of China's four major fireworks production hubs. It boasts more than 1,000 years of fireworks manufacturing history.

According to Changsha Customs, Hunan exported 4.84 billion yuan ($663 million) of fireworks and firecrackers last year, up 10.1 percent from 2023, accounting for 58.6 percent of the country's total exports.

The US remains the biggest export market for the province, with 1.7 billion yuan of fireworks exported to the country, marking a year-on-year increase of 28.1 percent.

Li Yanping, Chairman of Hunan Hengda Fireworks, stated that the fireworks sector remains relatively confident about the US tariffs because the country produces over 90 percent of the world's fireworks, making it irreplaceable.

When everything is settled, global consumers will still purchase our products, she explained.

Orders to the US and Europe are currently stalled, but Li anticipates a rebound once tariff policies stabilize. Exports to the US and Europe account for about 10 percent of Hengda's business. "People won't stop celebrating with fireworks just because prices rise. Fireworks symbolize resilience and joy—a universal human need," she said. "Fireworks are powerful as they keep rising no matter wind or rain, day or night."

Li emphasized the significance of the ongoing international fireworks symposium in showcasing the industry's value and strengthening global partnerships.

Deng Lin, chairman of Caifeng Fireworks, acknowledged the immediate challenges posed by unstable US tariff rates, which have disrupted orders and slowed production.

The US market accounts for over $30 million of Caifeng's annual exports.

Deng explained that clients are pausing orders to negotiate with the US government for stable tariffs because they are unable to get fireworks immediately from other markets.

To mitigate risks, Caifeng is diversifying by expanding into domestic markets, Europe, Southeast Asia and countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. He also highlighted the symposium as a key platform for reconnecting with global clients and exploring new opportunities.