China's Top Ten Unusual Phenomena in Early 2025; Guangzhou Becomes an Empty City

China's Top 10 Unusual Phenomena in Early 2025 2025 New Year. Guangzhou becomes an empty city. Henan Village Bank. Depositors face difficult year-end. Face repression for demanding their deposits. Today is the third day of the Lunar New Year. Some netizens have discovered that this year's New Year holiday has seen 10 abnormal phenomena in China. The first-tier city of Guangzhou has staged an empty city plan. The streets are deserted and desolate. 10 Abnormal Phenomena in China During the 2025 New Year holiday, a mainland netizen posted a video on a social platform stating that there are 10 abnormal phenomena during the 2025 New Year 1. Few people send New Year greetings via text messages on WeChat. The ban on fireworks and firecrackers has become a dead letter. Red envelopes are no longer sent in WeChat groups. The five blessings on Alipay are no longer visible. No one participates in New Year red envelope tasks on platforms such as Baidu, Douyin and Kuaishou. Fewer people go to hotels for New Year's dinner. There are no traffic jams on the way back to the village for the New Year. Many people start working on the second day of the New Year. Many families buy very few fruits and snacks. Offline New Year greetings are also avoided whenever possible. Many netizens left comments in the comment section saying, The key reason is that people have no money in their pockets. The main reason is that they have no money. The main reason is that their pockets are empty and they can't celebrate. Another netizen said, What does this say? The Chinese people are entering a period of famine, and if you don't save, your family may soon have no food to eat. So sad, right? 2025 New Year, Guangzhou becomes an empty city. Some netizens posted a video saying that while Guangzhou was bustling with people during last year's New Year, on the first day of this year's New Year, Guangzhou had become an empty city. It was deserted everywhere. The shops on the streets were closed, Metro Line 3 was empty, Zhejiang New Town was desolate, and there were few people on Tiuxi Road. It seems that many migrant workers have returned home for the New Year. Other videos show that the urban villages in Guangzhou usually crowded with pedestrians, have now turned into empty cities. Footsteps echo through the streets, with only empty villages and local residents remaining. Some netizens posted photos of the empty streets below their homes, frankly saying, It's so quiet, a little strange. Regarding the claim that Guangzhou became an empty city during the Chinese New Year, some netizens commented, There aren't many locals in Guangzhou. When those working outside return home, the city becomes empty. Other netizens suggested that this situation may be related to poor business conditions this year. Many people in Guangzhou who run foreign trade and clothing businesses closed their shops early and went home for the Chinese New Year. However, some Guangzhou residents stated that there are still many people in the old city during the Chinese New Year as locals went to the flower street. Additionally, this year, a strange phenomenon has been observed in many places, including Guangzhou. On the first and second days of the Chinese New Year, many people joined the return migration, embarking on their work journey for the new year with fatigue, reluctance, or anxiety. This abnormal phenomenon highlights that, amid China's continued economic decline, people's financial pressures are too great, making them hesitant to relax and rest even during the Chinese New Year. Some netizens even admitted that they dare not take a break during the new year, saying, I worked on New Year's Eve and the first day of the new year and only bought 10 yuan worth of oranges for the holiday. Henan Village Bank Depositors Face Difficult Year End, Face Repression for Demanding Their Deposits Thousands of Henan Village Bank depositors have had their deposits illegally frozen for more than three years, leaving many in despair and struggling at the end of the year. Before New Year's Eve, another depositor took the risk of traveling to Henan to demand their deposits. Three depositors who were arrested on New Year's Eve last year suffered severe mistreatment in the Henan Detention Center, were secretly tried and sentenced, and were released before this year's New Year. For over three years, depositors from other provinces with deposits exceeding 500,000 yuan have had their funds illegally frozen, with no way to file complaints, pushing many into desperation. Some have been unable to afford food or medical care. Before the new year, reports emerged that some depositors resorted to selling blood, collecting scrap materials, and gathering leftover chive leaves to make dumplings. Depositor Kai Guangli I have no living expenses. The new year is approaching and I have to sell junk to survive. I've been collecting scrap for a long time, saving it up to sell by the cartload. Henan Bank Return my deposit. Return my deposit now. I can't go on like this. Depositor Li Kei The Henan government has illegally frozen the deposits of thousands of Henan Village Bank customers for three years. This is an outrageous act. Many depositors are on the verge of despair, living in extreme hardship. Not only do they have no food, but many are bedridden and unable to afford medical treatment. On January 27, the day before New Year's Eve, another depositor traveled to Henan to demand their deposits, despite the risk of being arrested. Depositor Henan New Oriental Village Bank Return my deposit. Henan Provincial Union Bank Return my deposit. Henan Xinjiang Rural Commercial Bank Return my deposit. Henan Secretary Liu Yangsheng Return my deposit. Henan Town Bank Return my deposit. Henan Kaifeng New Oriental Return my deposit. Henan Xinjiang Rural Commercial Bank Return my deposit. On New Year's Eve, February 9, 2024, three depositors, Shi Jianjian, Ouyang Yun, and Hu Weiming, traveled to Henan to reclaim their deposits. They were arrested by Henan authorities under the charge of picking quarrels and provoking trouble and detained at Zhengzhou City No. 3 Detention Center. They were secretly tried and sentenced at the end of last year, but all three were released before this year's Chinese New Year. Ouyang Yun's wife revealed that after being released, Ouyang Yun had lost more than 30 kilograms, his hair had turned completely white, his face was gaunt, and he was extremely fatigued due to contracting COVID-19 while in prison. Shi Jianjian stated that he developed a skin condition while in detention and lost over 40 kilograms. Depositor Li Ke, Ouyang Yun, Shi Jianjian, and Hu Weiming all suffered severe mistreatment. Shi Jianjian wrote in his autobiography that because he refused to sign a forced confession by the Henan authorities, his case was classified as a major and serious case. He was isolated in detention, with no one allowed to speak to him. He endured psychological pressure, neglect, and was allegedly poisoned. He suddenly developed a severe skin condition with abscesses all over his body, suffered from sleep deprivation, and described his experience as unbearable. The Henan authorities deliberately denied him medical treatment. On the eve of the Chinese New Year, Xi Jinping went to Liaoning in the northeast for an inspection. The official media created a scene where the local area was decorated with lights, and Xi Jinping was deeply loved by the people. However, commentators believe that the old industrial cities in the three northeastern provinces have fallen into poverty due to population outflow and economic slowdown. Let's talk about this topic today. Current affairs commentator Chen Pekong said that Xi Jinping visited Huludao, Liaoning in the name of offering condolences to the people affected by last year's flood. The flood happened more than half a year ago, and the post-disaster reconstruction work is almost complete. From the pictures, the on-site layout and interaction with the masses appear more like a carefully planned mass drama. Chen Pekong said that the northeast is now the poorest region in China, with long-term fiscal deficits. As the central government's fiscal appropriations have dried up, the local area cannot expect substantial assistance. And Xi Jinping's show before the Spring Festival, going to the northeast, only serves as a gesture of comfort, trying to ease local dissatisfaction. Shenyang is the economic and trade center of the northeast. Let's take a look at the current situation there. The unemployment rate in Shenyang is terrible now. Basically, women work as online KTV and entertainment anchors, while young men deliver food or do telemarketing. They do this kind of work because Shenyang does not have any particularly large internet companies. In contrast, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen all have large internet companies, including some super large factories. Although Shenyang is poor, it is better than the surrounding cities. The surrounding cities like Fengxi and Huludao are worse. Many people from these smaller cities have almost all left, and young people have basically moved to Shenyang. They have started competing in the catering, tourism, and service industries because Shenyang has no primary or secondary industries, only the tertiary industry. In Shenyang, you have to accept four realities. First, you can't find a good job at all. Not to mention the pitifully low salary, earning 4,000 yuan a month is considered good. If you earn 6,000 or 7,000 yuan a month, that's a high salary. Second, the cost of living is too high. Breakfast costs more than 10 or 20 yuan. If you want to have a good meal, a few hundred yuan will be gone. Third, the work pressure is intense. The pressure is so overwhelming that it makes people feel breathless. Every day when you open your eyes, all you think about is making money. Fourth, if ordinary people in Shenyang want to accomplish something, they can't do it without connections. You have to find someone to ask for help, whether it's a big or small matter. Do you think I'm right? Can a bachelor's degree really only get you into a factory in Shenyang? My friend has been unemployed for several months and has submitted hundreds of resumes. He finally found a job with a monthly salary of 4,500 yuan. However, he was fired after seven days of trial work and didn't receive his salary in the end. I can't believe that a bachelor's degree doesn't even guarantee an interview in Shenyang. It is said that the post-00s are here to reshape the workplace, but now they can't even enter it. If you have a stable job and a decent income, don't change jobs easily, even if the work pressure is high. For ordinary people like us, work is simply a means to maintain a better life. In reality, many jobs are repetitive. No matter what kind of work you do, you will eventually get bored, and changing jobs won't change that. After spending two years in Shenyang and changing jobs three times, I realized that having a stable job and a fixed income is our greatest dignity. Dalian is an important coastal port city in Liaoning province and the main gateway to foreign trade in northeast China. However, the situation there is also bleak. There are many vacant shops on every street, and even on the once-bustling commercial streets, many stores are available for rent or transfer. Blogger Ping Ji, who has been in the push-pull door business in Dalian for many years, said that this year's business is the worst. Maybe starting next year, many people will truly stop celebrating the Spring Festival. This year may be the last normal Spring Festival for many ordinary people. The Chinese New Year is just a few days away. I remember that in previous years, there were annual gatherings, New Year's shopping, and various lucky draws. It was lively. But now, there is no festive atmosphere outside. I am from Heilongjiang and have been in the sliding door business in Dalian for 14 years. I didn't make any money this year, so I don't feel like going home. There are many other struggles. Businesses in the catering and clothing industries are not doing well, not to mention those who still have jobs. Some have been laid off, and the year-end bonus is out of the question. I expect that next year, people will have even tighter budgets, and for us adults, the joy of the Chinese New Year will come to an end. Blogger Mei Qi said that many people in Dalian are unemployed and under great financial pressure. Now, many small companies have shut down one after another, and even large companies are cutting salaries and laying off employees. Meanwhile, the number of food delivery workers and couriers is increasing, nearing saturation. It has become a case of too many wolves and too little meat. Many people who leave their jobs and can't find suitable employment may resort to driving taxis. Booking rides online or working in food delivery and courier services for a while. Moreover, Dalian is a city with high living costs and low wages, making daily expenses even harder to bear. In other words, now, one person in a company receives one salary but is expected to do the work of three people. The pressure is immense, so everyone wants to resign, but they are afraid they won't be able to find another job. As a result, they have no choice but to endure the pressure and keep earning their salary to survive. The continuous decline in industrial output in northeast China and the significant population loss to other provinces have led to a sharp decline in the region's population. The fertility rate has also dropped to the lowest in the country, with an annual decline of up to 30%. The three provinces in northeast China are the cradle of China's heavy industry. They were once the most developed areas in the country and had always served as a model for other regions. However, the northeast is now experiencing a real estate crisis, local government revenue has dropped sharply, and the national economy has slowed down. The rise and fall of the northeast can be seen from Haigang. Haigang is located in northern Heilongjiang and is a resource-based city that once thrived due to coal but later declined as the coal industry weakened. Without the support of the coal industry, Haigang's economy hit rock bottom. The city remained large, but naturally, no one cared about housing. Housing prices plummeted to the level of vegetables, and people often spent just tens of thousands of yuan to buy an apartment. Media reports stated that in September last year, housing prices in 95 cities across 25 provinces in China were trending toward Haigang-like levels. Even in economically developed regions such as Beijing, Tianjin Hebei, the Pearl River Delta, and Chengdu, Chongqing, many surrounding cities experienced Haigang-like conditions, with housing prices dropping to just over 100,000 yuan, or even tens of thousands of yuan.