Yearender: Top ten world news events in 2017 selected by Xinhua

BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The following are the Top Ten world news events in the year 2017 selected by Xinhua in a chronological order:

1. "A COMMUNITY WITH SHARED DESTINY FOR MANKIND" ENSHRINED IN UN RESOLUTION

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Jan. 18 made a keynote speech at the United Nations (UN) Office in Geneva titled "Work Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind," offering China's solutions to cope with global challenges. The international community resonated strongly.

The Chinese concept of building "a human community with shared destiny" was on Feb. 11 incorporated into a UN resolution for the first time on the 55th UN Commission for Social Development.

Since then, the idea has been enshrined in the UN Security Council, the Human Rights Council and the first committee of the UN General Assembly, turning the Chinese concept into an international consensus.

China's international influence, charisma and molding force have been further enhanced, and China's diplomacy of major powers has made new contributions to world peace and development.

2. "AMERICA FIRST" POLICY GENERATES U.S. WITHDRAWAL FROM PARIS PACT

U.S. President Donald Trump on June. 18 announced the decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the U.S. move was "extremely disappointing" for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote global security.

Donald Trump, who took office in January, has announced the U.S. withdrawal from the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization as well as its ending participation in negotiations for a Global Compact on Migration.

He has also announced the reconstruction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall and introduced a number of moves with protectionist tendencies of "America First," such as attempting to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The "withdrawal" of the United States has undermined the international multilateral cooperation system and brought new challenges to global governance.

3. QATAR SPAT DEEPENS MIDDLE EAST DIPLOMATIC RIFTS

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt announced on June. 5 that they had severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed sanctions on the country, citing Qatar's "supporting terrorism" and "undermining regional security," following which came a multinational declaration of disconnection with Qatar.

Qatar failed to comply with the demands of Saudi Arabia and other countries to cut off relationships with Iran. Instead, it declared a resumption of full diplomatic relations with the country in August.

Qatar's diplomatic storm has caused a serious rift between the Gulf states. Along with the Syria issue, Yemen civil war and Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it reflected the intense game between the United States and Russia in the Middle East and the complexity of struggles between countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran.

4. DIPLOMATIC WAR HIGHLIGHTS DIFFICULTY IN MELTING U.S.-RUSSIA RELATIONS

U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 2 signed a bill that won a sweeping majority vote in both houses of Congress to impose sanctions on Russia, with additional financial sanctions against the country.

Moscow responded to the sanctions by ordering a reduction in the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia. A diplomatic and media warfare has since erupted between the two sides featuring deportation of diplomats, closure of diplomatic institutions and restrictions of media activities.

Influenced by Russia's "election interference," relationship between the United States and Russia has not been picked up through Donald Trump's election in 2017.

The two countries are engaged in an intense game over international hotspot issues including the situations in Ukraine and Syria. The strategic conflict between the two countries has continued unabated, and their relationship seems hard to thaw.

5. KOREAN PENINSULA SITUATION TIGHTENED FOR DPRK'S NUCLEAR MISSILE TEST

Defying international opposition, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sept. 3 conducted its sixth nuclear test. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2375 on Sept. 11 to impose new sanctions on DPRK, calling for a peaceful settlement of the issue diplomatically and politically.

This year, the DPRK has repeatedly violated UN Security Council resolutions with launch activities using ballistic missile technology. South Korea and the United States have conducted a series of joint military exercises on the pretext of "coping with North Korea threats."

The United States has also re-listed the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and imposed unilateral sanctions on the country. The strong positions and actions of both sides have increased tension on the peninsula, causing concern among regional countries and the international community.

6. POPULISM HITS POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF EUROPE

The conservative union led by German sitting Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sept. 24 defended its commanding role in the Bundestag (German parliament), yet with a plummeting vote compared with the election four years ago.

Meanwhile, the far-right party Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) unexpectedly emerged as the third strongest party in parliament, becoming the first rightwing populist party to enter the Bundestag after World War II.

In the context of the refugee crisis and economic weakness, intensified social division and political polarization are becoming more and more obvious. People have been losing faith in the main traditional party.

The Netherlands, France, Austria and other major countries have chosen to call on the "anti-EU, anti-migrant" populist parties to make a breakthrough during their 2017 general election, which severely impacted the traditional political landscape in Europe.

7. FREQUENT TERRORIST INCIDENTS ROCKING WESTERN SOCIETIES

On Oct. 1, a mass shooting killed 59 people and injured 527 at an open-air concert in the western U.S. city of Las Vegas, making it the deadliest massacre in modern American history.

The attack reflected a series of social ills in Western countries, such as the rampant gun control, the deeply ingrained violence culture, and the intensification of class division.

This year has witnessed over 300 fatal shootings in the United States, as well as frequent outbreaks of terror in Europe such as Manchester concert bombing, Champs-Elysees shooting in Paris, and van attacks in Barcelona.

Reports of the Australian Economics and Peace Institute showed that the number of violent deaths in the United States as well as the developed countries in Europe in 2017 is expected to hit a record high in the past 16 years.

8. WORLD ECONOMY SEES REMARKABLE RECOVERY

The International Monetary Fund on Oct. 10 raised its forecast for the world economic growth this year and next year to 3.6 percent and 3.7 percent respectively, significantly higher than last year's 3.2 percent. And 75 percent of the world's economy is expected to grow faster this year.

This has been the fastest growth in global economy in nearly a decade, with the recovery of major economies shifting from "differentiation" to "synchronization" and the recovery of emerging economies being more pronounced and balanced.

China's bright economic performance is still the biggest source of global economic growth, among the supports of the world's relatively loose monetary fiscal policy as well as scientific and technological innovation. However, the rise of trade protectionism and counter-globalization in developed countries deserves vigilance.

9. COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCES WORLD

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was successfully held on Oct. 18-24, which established Xin Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and which embarked on a new journey of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The congress drew great attention from the international community, which pointed out that China's new era is also a new opportunity for the world.

The congress noted that China will hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, work toward a new form of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation and a community of shared future for mankind.

The blueprint drawn at the congress has generated positive reactions overseas, and the world is more optimistic about China's future.

Overseas public opinion thinks that the 19th CPC National Congress is actually a "global" conference, seeking for the maintenance of world peace and common development "standing in front of the world map."

China has "provided a key" for the world which is facing numerous challenges and disorientation today. With its unique wisdom, China has made a great contribution to improving the global governance system.

10. ISLAMIC STATE GROUP PENETRATING OUTWARD AFTER DEFEAT

Pro-government forces in Syria and Iraq respectively announced on Nov. 19 and Dec. 9 that they had defeated the Islamic State (IS) group in its control zones in both countries. Since then, the IS has lost its last stronghold in the Middle East and the international fight against terrorism has won a major victory.

However, the IS group did not die out, attacking mosques in Egypt, being active in Afghanistan and showing up in Europe and America. As IS members are repatriated, they have been spread to many other countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and America.

The diversification and decentralization of terrorist activities across the world continues to pose a serious problem for the international community in the fight against terrorism. Enditem