1. The ASEAN Community is officially established
Thirteen years after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) floated an idea on a common community, the ASEAN Community was officially set up on December 31, 2015 with three key pillars; the Political and Security Community, the Economic Community and the Social-Cultural Community. The formation marks an important development step in the grouping’s process of extensive connectivity, towards the “One vision – One identity – One community” goal.
Thirteen years after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) floated an idea on a common community, the ASEAN Community was officially set up on December 31, 2015 with three key pillars; the Political and Security Community, the Economic Community and the Social-Cultural Community. The formation marks an important development step in the grouping’s process of extensive connectivity, towards the “One vision – One identity – One community” goal.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and ASEAN leaders at the signing of the 2015 Kuala Lumpur Declaration
on the Establishment of ASEAN Community and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 22. Photo: Xinhua/VNA
2. China’s actions further complicates the East Sea situation
China increased its unilateral actions in the East Sea, including illegal construction on islands and reefs in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos of Vietnam. The international community expressed deep concern about those moves and warned that such actions had infringed on international law, increased tension and threatened security and safety of navigation and aviation, as well as damaged the ecological systems in the East Sea.
Addressing a meeting with the leaders of 10 ASEAN countries in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 21, 2015
US President Barack Obama emphasized that for the sake of regional stability, the claimants should halt
building artificial islands and militarizing their claims in the disputed East Sea. Photo: AFP/VNA
3. World intensifies fight against terrorism
A series of bombings, kidnapping and shootings, especially the bloody attacks in the Charlie - Hebdo newspaper office on January 7 and the Bataclan Theatre on November 13 in France, or the bombing of a Russian plane in Egypt on October 31, shocked the world. The increasing expansion and brutality of the self-claimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist group , along with Russia’s military intervention in Syria have changed the situation in the global fight against terrorism with the strong involvement of many countries worldwide.
A series of bombings, kidnapping and shootings, especially the bloody attacks in the Charlie - Hebdo newspaper office on January 7 and the Bataclan Theatre on November 13 in France, or the bombing of a Russian plane in Egypt on October 31, shocked the world. The increasing expansion and brutality of the self-claimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist group , along with Russia’s military intervention in Syria have changed the situation in the global fight against terrorism with the strong involvement of many countries worldwide.
The plane crash of Kolavia Flight 7K9268, operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia,
from a bomb in Hassana near the city of Arish, Egypt, killing 224 passengers and crew. Photo: Xinhua/VNA
4 . Migration crisis in Europe
Mass waves of immigrants from the Middle East and North African countries to Europe brought the most serious migration crisis since World War II, causing severe security and socio-economic impacts for European nations and the world, as well as creating divergences in policies of the European Union’s member nations on how to cope with the situation.
Emigrants cross from Serbia through the barbwire fence near Roszke, southern Hungary on August 27, 2015.
Photo: AFP/VNA
5 . Historical deal reached on climate change adaptation
On December 12, all 195 countries attending the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) in France approved an agreement aimed at curbing global warming. The deal was said to be the strongest commitment of the international community in the fight against climate change. It set the target of keeping the rise in global temperatures by the year 2100 “well below” 2 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial times . Developed countries pledged to provide at least 100 billion dollars a year to help developing countries deal with climate change.
On December 12, all 195 countries attending the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) in France approved an agreement aimed at curbing global warming. The deal was said to be the strongest commitment of the international community in the fight against climate change. It set the target of keeping the rise in global temperatures by the year 2100 “well below” 2 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial times . Developed countries pledged to provide at least 100 billion dollars a year to help developing countries deal with climate change.
UNFCCC's Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius
and French President Francois Hollande ((from left to right) celebrate the historic adoption
of the Paris Agreement on curbing global warming. Photo: AFP/VNA
of the Paris Agreement on curbing global warming. Photo: AFP/VNA
6. Oil price dropped to a record low in more than one decade
The price of crude oil on the world market was reduced by nearly 60 percent in the past year to below 35 USD per barrel – the lowest price since 2004. The decrease was attributed to the persistent oversupply and falling demand of oil, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ decision on not cutting oil output, and the US’s removal of its 40-year ban on oil exports. The strong reduction of oil prices has a huge impact on the economy and geo-politics of various countries, especially those heavily dependent on oil imports and exports.
At a Dijon Gas Station in Dijon, France. Photo: AFP/VNA
7. Iran and P5+1 countries reach key nuclear deal
After 11 years of tense negotiations, Iran and the P5+1 countries, which are the US, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany, reached a historic agreement on July 14, under which Iran vowed to restrict its nuclear programme, while other countries pledged to lift sanctions imposed on Tehran.
Representatives of Iran and the P5+1 countries after reaching a historic agreement
at the negotiation round in Vienna, Austria on July 14, 2015.
8. Strongest earthquakes in eight decades rock Nepal
Two earthquakes measuring 7.8 magnitude and 7.3 magnitude on April 25 and May 12 shook almost all parts of Nepal, leaving 8,964 dead and 21,952 injured. The two quakes changed many geological structures in Nepal and its neighbouring countries like India, China, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The United Nations estimated that around 8 million people were affected by the disasters, with 1.4 million people in need of food assistance.
Rescue efforts in Kathmandu. Photo: AFP/VNA
9. Century scandals of FIFA
Numerous high-ranking FIFA officials, including FIFA President Sepp Blatter and President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Michel Platini, were accused of corruption, bribery and money laundering with the money involved worth up to hundreds of millions of US dollars. These scandals tarnish the image of FIFA, requiring the organisation to reform strongly.
FIFA President Sepp Blatterhas a bundle of fake banknotes thrown over him by a British comedian
at the press conference in Zurich, Switzerland on July 29, 2015. Photo: AFP/VNA
10. New Earth-like planet found
On July 23, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced the discovery of a planet outside the solar system which holds the most characteristics like the earth so far. The planet, named Kepler-452b, is around 1.6 times larger than the earth in diameter and is 1,400 light years from the earth. It orbits around a star with about the same size and brightness of the sun, and has signs of water on its surface. One year on Kepler-452e has 385 days. This is a revolutionary discovery, which helps increase hope for the search for life beyond the earth.
The image of the earth (left) and new earth-like planet named Kepler-452b (right). Photo: AFP/VNA
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