Other developments included multi-polarization advancing in disturbances, deeper economic globalization, and continuing regional instability, tensions and conflicts. However, peace and development remained the dominating tune of the world.

During the year, a consensus and the common need to fight terrorism led the big nations into a new ground where their interests meet, prompting more consultations and cooperation among them. Seeing their interests more in common and inter-dependence heavier than ever, they have sought huge adjustments of relationships to adapt themselves to the post-Sept. 11 global situation. Most notably among them, the United States.

Following the Sept. 11 hijacked airliner attacks on it last year, the United States remapped its security strategy to put terrorism as its No. 1 enemy. Washington realized that its fight against terrorism must have support from other big countries and the international community.

Important progress was made in the constructive relations between China and the United States, featuring close contacts and high-level exchanges which produced a series of important consensus on promoting bilateral cooperation in every field. Among the exchanges was the February trip to China by President George W.Bush, followed by visits to the United States by Vice-President Hu Jintao, now leader of the Communist Party of China, in April and President Jiang Zemin in October.

On the Taiwan issue, Washington reiterated the One-China principle and made clear its stance against Taiwan's independence. It has also enlisted the "East Turkistan" forces as terrorist organizations and frozen their financial resources in the United States.

During the year, the two countries resumed military exchanges and boosted anti-terrorism cooperation.

At the same time, the strategic partnership between China and Russia developed further. During the year, there were frequent high-level exchanges, broader cooperation and more fruitful coordination in international affairs between the two, as a result of joint efforts to implement the China-Russia friendship and cooperation treaty signed in July, 2001.

During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing in November, leaders of the two countries renewed their pledge to bring bilateral relations further forward, following the successful experience in the past decade.

In a notable reparation of the US-Russian relations, Bush and Putin signed in May the Treaty of Moscow on reducing offensive strategic nuclear weapons. Each country committed itself to slashing nuclear warheads to 1,700-2,200 within a decade.

The presidents also signed a declaration to start a new US-Russian strategic relationship, defining each other as partners and anti-terrorism allies and officially announcing an end to an era of enmity.

The moves were immediately followed by an agreement in Rome between Russia and the US-led Western alliance of NATO, on the establishment of a NATO-Russia Council granting Russia an equal say within the framework. The 20-nation security forum, a promoted version of the previous "19-plus-one" mode, marked an important step by the two towards a partnership based on mutual trust and equality.

Moscow hosted a summit with the European Union in an effort to seek closer links with the 15-nation bloc.

However, major differences among big nations did not vanish as their relations became better. The big concessions Russia made on the key nuclear weapons issue and other problems failed to stop the United States developing its national missile defense (NMD) system, a controversial project which will reinforce the US nuclear superiority. In mid-December, Washington said it would start deploying the NMD system.

With some of the underlying differences between the United States and Europe coming to the fore, the allies have quarreled openly over many key international issues. Germany and France voiced their opposition to the US war plan against Iraq -- a tip of the iceberg of majority countries' discontent over Washington's unilateral approach, and of their hope for a multi-polar world.

With its fighting in Afghanistan still going on, the United States declared Iraq its next war target out of an obvious strategic consideration to remould the political landscape in the Middle East, seek a leading role there and control the Gulf oil resources. At the moment, peace or war for Iraq is still at a crucial point.

During the year, the longtime conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians escalated and developed into a tit-for-tat spiraling violence, stalling the Middle East peace process. In South Asia, tensions heightened and alarmed the international community once when India and Pakistan stuck in an armed confrontation.

While the nightmare of security threats continued, new factors in non-traditional forms such as international terrorism became a source of increasing security concern for countries. The spreading of terrorism also posed a serious menace to global politics and economy.

In October, bombing killed at least 190 people and injured 310 others in Indonesia's resort island Bali. Days afterwards in another development, Chechen separatists held as hostage the audience in a Moscow theater and caused more than 130 deaths.

Digital gap, environmental deterioration and other problems emerged as new obstacles to the development in many countries, with the long-standing troubles such as poverty, debts and lack of funds remaining unresolved. The gap between the rich and poor nations became increasingly widened. The developed countries have made developing countries further victims by taking advantage of the existing unfair and irrational world economic order and their leading position in the economic globalization.

Despite all the troubles, peace and development remained the main theme of the age as well as the shared wish of peoples.

It is the common will of the international community to seek peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue. International mediation served to drag India and Pakistan off the brink of a war.The two nuclear-weapon countries had plunged themselves into a touch-and-go situation by massing troops on borders in a show of strength when tension mounted over the Kashmir dispute.

On the Iraqi crisis, widespread calls for a resolution within the United Nations framework, joined by many of Washington's allies, pressured the United States into approving the resumption of UN weapons inspection in Iraq, easing the high tension of a war for the time being. Accusing Iraq of possessing weapons of mass destruction that constitute a threat to regional and global security, the United States has announced it would disarm Iraq by force.

The year came to an end with deepened economic integration in regions. The EU decided to take in 10 more members in 2004, taking a further step towards its goal of a united Europe. It was an important economic event that the European single currency, the euro, entered circulation at the beginning of this year, injecting new blood into the European economy.

In Asia, leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum met in October in Mexico, calling for efforts to expand regional economic and technological cooperation. Member countries were also urged to seize the opportunities offered by globalization to boost common prosperity in the region.

At the 8th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held in November in Phnom Penh, participants reached a consensus to accelerate the ASEAN integration, broaden economic and trade links with China, Japan, South Korea and India and conduct cooperation with these non-ASEAN countries to tackle the mounting non-traditional security threats. Currently, the sides are increasing consultations on possible joint projects.

In Africa, 52 countries launched in July the African Union to succeed the 39-year-old Organization of African Unity in a bid to step up regional economic integration to survive globalization.

In unremitting efforts to promote regional free trade, Latin American countries have pledged to complete negotiations on a free trade zone with the United States by 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2002)