British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Tuesday hailed Barack Obama on his inauguration as the new U.S. president, saying it was a "new chapter in both American history and the world's history."

"The whole world is watching the inauguration of President Obama, witnessing a new chapter in both American history and the world's history. He is not only the first black American president but he sets out with the determination to solve the world's problems," said Brown.

Brown praised Obama as a man of "great vision", "great determination and energy", and "great moral purpose".

Brown said that Obama understood that the world faced "extraordinary times" and "unprecedented challenges" and had displayed "great courage" in taking forward economic proposals similar to those in Britain and other countries.

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2009)