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Xinhua Top 10 World News Events of 2000
Following are the top 10 world news events of the year 2000 selected by Xinhua. The events are arranged in chronological order:
1. Vladimir Putin Elected Russian President
Putin was elected Russian president in March elections to succeed Boris Yeltsin who surprisingly resigned on December 31, 1999. Putin, who assumed office on May 7, presented policies aimed at restoring Russia as a world power. He proposed a strong and powerful federal government, the elimination of terrorists in the breakaway republic of Chechnya, further economic reforms and a healthy market economy based on the rule of law and fair competition. He defined Russia as a European country and gave both Europe and Asia equal emphasis in Russia's foreign policy. He promised to work for Russia's national interests and maintain Russia's status as a major world power. He also stands for a multi-polar world.
2. Soaring Oil Prices Panic World Market
Crude oil prices on the international market, which had been rising since April, hit US$37.8 per barrel on September 20 in New York, a record high since the 1990 Gulf crisis. Soaring prices threw the world into panic as fuel prices in Europe skyrocketed and developing countries, especially oil-dependent economies, were heavily affected. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' export price dropped below 22 dollars by December 21 after the oil cartel raised its daily output four times in the year.
3. Detente Emerges on the Korean Peninsula After North-South Summit
On June 13-15, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung made a landmark trip to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and held talks with DPRK leader Kim Jong Il -- the first ever summit between the two sides of the peninsula after 55 years of separation. The North-South Joint Declaration issued after the summit committed both sides to national reconciliation. The historic summit was followed by a series of ministerial-level meetings, reunions of separated families, and the appearance of athletes of the two countries in the Sydney Olympic Games as one team. Bilateral trade also grew. The easing of tension on the Korean Peninsula has led to the improvement of DPRK's ties with the United States, Japan and Europe, which culminated in a historic visit to Pyongyang by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in October.
4. First Draft of Human Genome Completed
On June 26, scientists announced the completion of the working map of the human genome, a success expected to transform medicine in the 21st century. Hundreds of researchers from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan and China, after 10 years of work on the publicly-funded international Human Genome Project, have finished sequencing the human genetic code and virtually finished assembling it into the right order.
5. Violence Plagues Middle East Peace Process
After 15 days of US-brokered negotiations in July in the US resort of Camp David, Israel and the Palestinians failed to dissolve differences over key issues such as the final status of Jerusalem, border, Jewish settlements in occupied territories, the return of Palestinian refugees and water resources. Israeli right-wing opposition leader Ariel Sharon's forcible visit on September 28 to a Jerusalem shrine holy to both Muslims and Jews enraged Palestinians and led to bloody conflicts between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers and security forces. The violence, which is still going on by year-end, has killed some 350 people, mostly Palestinians.
6. Russian Nuclear Submarine "Kursk" Sinks
On August 12, Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sank at the Barents Sea during a military exercise, killing all 118 crew aboard. On October 21, Russian and Norwegian divers successfully entered the sunken vessel. A total of 12 bodies had been brought back to surface before the body-recovering efforts were forced to stop on November 7 because of bad weather conditions. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
7. Millennium Summit of Global Leaders Convened
On September 6-8, more than 150 heads of state and government gathered in the UN headquarters in New York to discuss the UN's role in the 21st century. A joint statement promised a stronger role of the global body and enhanced global efforts toward peace, cooperation and development. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged nations to work actively to uplift 1 billion people from poverty by 2015, and called on rich countries to open markets to poor ones, relieve poor nations' debt burdens and provide them with economic and technical assistance.
8. US Permanently Normalizes Trade Relations With China
On October 10, US President Bill Clinton signed into law a bill on permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China after the House of Representatives and the Senate approved the bill in May and September respectively. The historic legislation ended Washington's practice since 1974 of annually reviewing normal trade relations with China. The PNTR is seen to be in the interests of both countries and conducive to bilateral economic and trade cooperation as well as the overall Sino-US relations.
9. US Presidential Election Becomes Extended Battle
US presidential election on November 7 became an extended battle between Democrat candidate Al Gore and his Republican rival George W. Bush as the polling in the state of Florida was too close to call. The Florida Supreme Court ordered ballot recounts in three counties. A series of legal battles ensued until a key US Supreme Court ruling on December 13 made hand recounts impossible. Gore conceded the presidential race while he strongly disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling.
10. EU Integration a Step Further
The December 7-11 summit of the 15-nation European Union in Nice, France, ended with agreements to reform its decision-making process, to revise its treaty to make the accession of newcomers, mostly Eastern European states, possible in years ahead, and to improve defense cooperation, including the creation of a 60,000-strong European rapid reaction force.
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