As the year draws to a close, I guess its customary to look back and see what's changed or been created over the past 12 months. Every year some particular words, characters or phrases seem to take on a special meaning or focus. Representatives from a host of media organizations around China have put their heads together to come up with what they felt were the key buzzwords or phrases from 2017.

First up, "Xiang享" and "Zhi 智" have been named as the domestic and international characters of the year.  "Xiang" means sharing in Chinese -- and, of course, 2017 was a year when the country's "sharing economy" really came to the fore, with the likes of Mobike and Ofo bringing convenience to many people's lives. "Zhi" means intelligence, and here they felt the global manufacturing industry was moving into a new era, what with the evolution of digital technology and artificial intelligence.  Meanwhile, "Chuxin初心", which means "remaining true to our original aspirations", was chosen as the domestic phrase of the year. It was essentially coined by President Xi Jinping himself, where he urged Chinese people, in the face of globalization, to never forget what their initial mission or dream was.  Meanwhile, "Renleimingyungongtongti人类命运共同体" was deemed the most consequential international phrase. It means "a community of common destiny for mankind". In September, the south-eastern city of Xiamen hosted the 9th BRICS Summit, where member countries looked for ways to create a peaceful and prosperous world that we all can enjoy.