Human Rights
Politics
The tyranny of too much democracy: Confucius’s answer
Democracy today has lost some of its shine, with issues such as the rise of right-wing populist parties worrying some. But part of the problem lies in the conflation of two distinct ideas — liberalism and democracy. If the balance between liberalism and democracy needs to be restored, might a Confucian mixed regime be a possible alternative? Chinese academic Tongdong Bai contemplates the question.
Tongdong Bai
13 Apr 2026
Society
[Big read] Tiny steps, big change: How everyday efforts are building an inclusive Guangzhou
Every week, volunteers like Feifei travel across Guangzhou to teach skills to visually impaired residents. These small acts — training, apps, accessible facilities — are just the beginning of building a truly inclusive society, with much more still to be done. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi reports.
Zeng Shi
18 Nov 2025
Society
The 25-centimetre gap separating China from a truly civilised society
The recent incident of Taiwanese singer Zheng Zhihua at Shenzhen Airport has brought to light the struggles of disabled people in China. Academic Zhang Tiankan believes that their voices must be heard and more needs to be done to ensure accessibility, only then can China call itself a civilised society.
Zhang Tiankan
17 Nov 2025
Politics
After Charlie Kirk: Why gun control remains America’s unsolvable crisis
The recent shooting of American conservative opinion leader Charlie Kirk shows once again that proposed gun control bills die in Congress, and society lapses into another waiting period for the next tragedy. Why is gun control in America so hard to manage? Commentator Deng Yuwen ponders the question.
Deng Yuwen
16 Sep 2025
Society
No escape: How secret cameras haunt women’s lives in China
The persistent problem of covert filming highlights the broader challenges Chinese women face in defending their rights amid inadequate legal protections and lax platform oversight. In the face of such widespread violations, many victims are left with little recourse but to remain silent — and are instead forced to learn how to protect themselves. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk looks into the matter.
China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao
13 Aug 2025
Politics
Did Trump unmask American hypocrisy?
The hypocritical and self-serving nature of US foreign intervention and American values is finally being exposed by none other than US President Donald Trump, says academic Han Dongping, who discusses the pitfalls and double standards of the US-led world order.
Han Dongping
28 Apr 2025
Politics
Exploited and abandoned: North Korean troops in Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine drags on, one group seems to be overlooked: the North Korean soldiers who have apparently been sent to fight without knowledge or consent. South Korean academic Kang Jun-young says the international community cannot ignore their situation.
Kang Jun-young
19 Mar 2025
Politics
Quick fixes and false promises: The rise of populism in the West
Commentator Chen Kuohsiang says that the rise of the far right in the West offers seemingly simple solutions to current issues such as immigration, economic difficulties and military conflicts, but it does not get to the root of the problem.
Chen Kuohsiang
29 Oct 2024
Politics
[Big read] Can South Korean dramas bring down the North Korean dictatorship?
Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Kang Gwiyoung speaks with academics and North Korean defectors to understand the impact of South Korean culture on the perspectives of the North Korean people, especially the younger generation. Is the Korean Wave enough to awaken political consciousness and bring down the North Korean regime?
Kang Gwiyoung
25 Oct 2024
Politics
Execution for spreading South Korean-style content? Why North Korea’s human rights issues cannot be ignored
Not only are North Korea’s nuclear and missile threat to the Korean peninsula, but its human rights issues are also a part of security issues in the region, says academic Kang Jun-young.
Kang Jun-young
08 Oct 2024