No crystal glasses tinkling nor champagne corks popping, we silently cheered putting to bed the 52nd issue of Beijing Review, the last one for 2009. The past 52 weeks have fled in the twinkling of an eye, so swiftly that reporters were scratching their heads; while the editors' barking on a Thursday night to meet the publishing deadline for the first issue of the year seemed like it was only yesterday.

We spent a genuinely crazy year digging and investigating, because the planet was totally crazy. It entered 2009 facing the blows of recession and bid farewell in climate chaos. China participated in every act of the drama, as did Beijing Review. We were busy reporting every unforgettable moment, which ranged from the great ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the New China to the riots in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, rebuilding at the site of the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, to the final preparations for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, to international events such as the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the several joint military drills of Chinese and foreign navies.

The Review's audience and fame grew as it unveiled scoops on hot issues of great interest to foreign readers. We were often the first to cover big events such as China's construction of strategically important oil reserve bases in its coastal regions, the Central Government's greater appropriation to support maintenance of cultural and historical sites in Tibet and the successful settlement of border disputes between China and foreign countries. And we led the field in reporting on government policy moves. Vivid and exclusive reporting of these events made the magazine a must-read for those working on China policy-making and those about to initiate business contacts either with China's enterprises or individuals. To make the Review more interesting, readable and worthwhile, we gave greater space to analytical stories and opinion, with substantial help from a number of Chinese and foreign think tanks. The year also witnessed the ongoing expansion of the scope of our business as our online news, features, photos and files became widely quoted, linked, sold and also transferred via various media including twitter.

China has been progressing steadily in spite of global turbulence. More work is ahead for the staff of Beijing Review, who have a mission to cover and analyze what is happening in the country, the influence it has on the world and why. The good news is the market for our magazine is always there and constantly growing.

At the same time, better ideas, hard work and sleepless nights will be key concepts during 2010, as we strive to maintain high standards and journalistic values while connecting to a wider readership. This is our New Year's resolution.