The editors-in-chief and deputy editors-in-chief of 13 major Beijing-based newspapers and one news agency selected China's Top 10 News Events of 1999 on December 21.

The following are the events in descending order of significance:

1. A grand military review and a parade of 500,000 people were held at Tiananmen Square to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1.

The military review demonstrated the accomplishments of the Chinese army's modernization, and the mass parade displayed the splendid achievements recorded by China in its socialist construction under the collective leadership of three generations.

2. The second session of the Ninth National People's Congress ( NPC) on March 15 passed an amendment to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China incorporating Deng Xiaoping Theory into the Constitution.

The theory was thus enshrined in the country's fundamental law as the nation's guiding principle, ensuring that China will continue its march along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The basic principle of governing the country according to law and the enhanced status of non-publicly owned economic elements in the national economy were also adopted into the Constitution.

3. China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao on December 20. Macao, which had been China's territory since ancient times, was colonized by Portugal in the mid 16th century.

The successful return of Macao marked a great step forward in the country's cause of reunification, following Hong Kong's return in 1997, and the complete eradication of national humiliation brought on by colonialism.

4. China's first experimental spacecraft was successfully launched on November 20 and returned to earth after a 21-hour flight in space.

As another milestone in China's aerospace program, the successful launch and return of the spacecraft marked the country' s latest breakthrough in manned space flight technology.

5. The Chinese and United States governments signed a bilateral agreement on China's entry into the World Trade Organization, ending 13 years of negotiations between the two countries. This paved the way for China's entry into the WTO, one that will benefit the world economy and trade.

6. The Chinese embassy in Belgrade was attacked with missiles by US-led NATO forces on May 8.

Three Chinese journalists, one from the Xinhua News Agency and two from the Guangming Daily, were killed in the bombing and the embassy building was destroyed. The Chinese government and people strongly condemned and protested against this barbaric act.

7. The Chinese government banned the Research Society of Falun Dafa and the Falun Gong organization under its control on July 22.

A nationwide campaign was launched to expose Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi's lies and the damage done to society by the cult. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) on October 30 passed a decision on the ban of cult organizations, and the prevention and punishment of cult activities.

8. Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui said on July 9 that the Taiwan authorities had defined cross-straits relations as "state-to-state " or at least "special state-to-state relations."

Lee's rhetoric aroused widespread indignation in China and from people around the globe. He was condemned for undermining the principle of "one China" and for his schemes to split Taiwan from China.

9. The 4th Plenum of the 15th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was held from September 19-22.

The plenum adopted The Decision on Major Issues Concerning the Reform and Development of State-Owned Enterprises, which summarized the successes and failures of SOE reform and development over the past two decades, defined guiding principles, and proposed a series of major policies and measures for SOE reform and development.

The plenum represented a milestone in pushing forward the reform and development of China's state-owned enterprises.

10. The China '99 Kunming International Horticulture Exposition opened on May 1 in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. This was the first world gardening Expo ever held in a developing country.

Over 90 international organizations participated in the 184-day event, along with China's 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. More than 9.4 million people had visited the Expo by the time it concluded on October 31.

This was the twelfth time the Domestic News for Overseas Service Department of Xinhua News Agency has sponsored the annual selection of the top 10 domestic news events.

Editors-in-chief and deputy editors-in-chief from the People's Daily, Guangming Daily, Xinhua Daily Telegraph, Economic Daily, Economic Information Daily, People's Liberation Army Daily, China News Service, China Daily, China Youth Daily, China Business Times, Science and Technology Daily, Workers Daily, Peasants Daily, and Legal Daily participated in the voting for this year's top 10 news events.