In the past 12 months, China's lunar mission achieved great success, extreme poverty was tamed, and COVID-19 cast its shadow

2020 was no ordinary year.

Over the past 12 months, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc around the world. China was hit by the novel coronavirus outbreak, but it was successfully brought under control after painstaking efforts by local authorities, health workers and the people, which were steered by the government.

The country also reached a major landmark this year, when the last 52 impoverished counties managed to shake off extreme poverty, a historic moment in China's efforts to build a moderately prosperous society in an all-around way.

Mother Nature unleashed her wrath. Floods caused by heavy rain hit many areas in eastern, southern and southwestern China in June. However, coordinated disaster relief efforts helped keep the loss of lives and property at a minimum.