BEIJING, China – Countries across Asia and Oceania have welcomed the New Year 2026 with fireworks, drum ceremonies, and celebrations, as the first regions of the world entered the new year.
In Beijing, drums sounded at midnight as crowds gathered in front of large temples, while lights and fireworks illuminated the sky. China, home to around 1.4 billion people, celebrated alongside the Philippines, Malaysia, and parts of Indonesia.
In Manila, the capital of the Philippines, spectacular fireworks lit up the night sky, marking the beginning of 2026 with public celebrations across the city. Meanwhile, Tokyo and Seoul marked the new year with traditional bell-ringing ceremonies, signalling the arrival of 2026 in Japan and South Korea.
Earlier in the evening, Sydney, Australia, hosted a fireworks display over the harbour, though the atmosphere was tempered with sadness following the Bondi Beach attack earlier this month.
New Year 2026 celebration 🎉 Sydney, Australia.🇦🇺
Some of the first celebrations came from Kiribati, where a couple marked the new year on a remote beach surrounded by darkness and wildlife, including countless crabs, enjoying one of the first moments of 2026 anywhere on the planet.
Celebrations also took place in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Guam, and New Zealand’s remote Chatham Island, where around 600 residents welcomed the new year.
Other regions joining the early celebrations included Mongolia, Taiwan, Brunei, Irkutsk in Russia, Perth in Western Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, and parts of Antarctica.
For some communities across Asia, Lunar New Year remains the main festive event, but countries marking the Gregorian calendar transition celebrated with fireworks, lights, and cultural ceremonies.
As 2026 dawned across the region, residents expressed hope for peace, health, and prosperity in the new year.
