Justice
Cartoon
[Comic] The other side of the coral reef
I recently watched Oppenheimer and it reminded me of a quote attributed to Albert Einstein: "The state was made for man, not man for the state." This was possibly the difference between Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer. The meaning of "state" is abstract, fluid and changing, and the idea that "I will always love my country" has long been shaken. Just as Einstein must have loved Germany but had to leave, there was a lot of helplessness and conflict - between people and government, politics and science, domination and egalitarianism. While the scientific spirit of "facts over authorities and books; always exchanging, comparing and reassessing opinions" is somewhat idealistic, like the law, it is worth holding on to. If academics do not stand with the people, who then will fight "evil"? Between scholars and the wise ones, there is just a little more justice, conscience and sense of humanity. - Bai Yi
Bai Yi
27 Oct 2023
Society
Illegal bridge by Chinese villager sparks debate
The case of a family of 18 being punished for illegally building a bridge in Jilin province has brought to light the public's distrust of the courts and grassroots governance and sparked criticism of the local government's inaction in solving people's problems. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu looks into the matter.
Yang Danxu
12 Jul 2023
Society
Trial by Weibo: A young woman accuses a middle-aged man of voyeurism
Is being "sentenced to death" by online public trial going too far? What recourse is there when accusations are made that turn out to be false? Zaobao's China Desk looks into the Chinese phenomenon of going public with perceived injustices.
China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao
22 Jun 2023
Politics
China's response to Ukraine war calls its values into question
Hong Kong businessman and political figure Lew Mon-hung notes that China used to have a strong sense of right and wrong, with values of righteousness and morality. However, looking at China's reaction to the war in Ukraine, it seems that these values have been abandoned. And this can only lead to a shift in the progress that China has made over the past 40 years.
Lew Mon-hung
26 May 2022
Society
Do Gen Z Americans hold the key to improving China-US relations?
American youths today are dealing with more issues and turmoil than their previous generations. US academic Wu Guo believes that the culmination of terrorist attacks, financial crises, social injustice and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have led to a generation that is more politically, socially and environmentally aware. These challenges and experiences could be a path for Americans to connect with the world outside of the US, in particular with China.
Wu Guo
11 May 2022
Society
'The world has abandoned me': Chinese women married into slavery?
Chinese academic Lorna Wei says that the authorities' determination to root out human trafficking may waver, but netizens' voices speaking up for the victims - often women married off into other counties - will not be silenced. This may be the only comfort that countless women suffering alone can take solace in.
Lorna S. Wei
25 Feb 2022
Society
When a dog of the privileged class in China bites a commoner
In the face of surveillance camera footage showing pet dogs biting an 80-year-old lady, it should have been an open-and-shut case. But one such "dog-bites-man" incident in Anyang dragged on for more than two months. The pet owner was believed to be a person of power, and only increasing attention on the case led to an eventual apology. Why did it take so long for someone to do the right thing?
Yu Zeyuan
22 Nov 2021
Society
Anti-Asian hate crimes: Chinese Americans' weak and disparate voice in US society
Associate Professor Wu Guo analyses reactions from the Chinese American community to the recent spike in anti-Asian hate crime. He sees a clear distinction between those who see these acts as racially motivated, and those who feel that they should be taken as crimes against public safety and leave it to the police. Interestingly, the debates show that the Chinese themselves may hold certain prejudices against other ethnic groups in the US. Amid the increasing complexity of ethnic relations in the US, what steps can the Asian community take to protect their rights?
Wu Guo
05 Apr 2021
Society
Chinese netizens stand firm behind sexually abused 'adopted daughter'
The case of a former high-calibre law consultant who allegedly sexually abused a teenage girl has been making the rounds among China's internet community. While the man argued that theirs was a consensual relationship, netizens are not buying it. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu asks: "What does it mean when justice has to be upheld by public opinion?"
Yang Danxu
15 Apr 2020