As we celebrate the New Year and the arrival of the year of the Ox, it is a good time to look back on the past year while preparing for the year ahead.

In 2008 everyone in China pulled together in an unprecedented way to respond to the tragic earthquake in Sichuan Province and the needs of the millions of people who were effected. Remarkably, just four months later, China hosted the Olympics in a way that will never be forgotten. In the opinion of this writer, the Olympics in Beijing were the greatest Games ever held, and China won tremendous respect around the world as it showcased the ¨New China〃.