Les nouvelles routes de la soie ou “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) est le projet de développement le plus important à l’échelle internationale depuis le début du 21ème siècle. Étant le projet du président chinois Xi Jinping … Continue reading
Category: Asia Pacific
Human Rights in North Korea and the Advocacy of HanVoice
Western media portrayal of North Korea depicts an autocratic regime ruled by a dictator obsessed with the country’s nuclear weapons program. But is that all there is to North Korea? By not covering North Korea’s systemic human rights violations, news outlets undermine the graveness of the humanitarian crisis in the country.
Hanbok vs Hanfu: Chinese Cultural Appropriation Stirs Outrage in South Korea
The controversy on the origin of ‘hanbok’ first came about in April 2021, when Chinese mobile game “Call me an Emperor” dressed a female character in a hanbok dress that was worn by Korean singer-songwriter and actress IU in the … Continue reading
China’s Difficult Position in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
While the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has put the two countries under the spotlight, another country, China, has also been repeatedly mentioned in the war. As the only major power showing ambiguity of the attitude towards Russia’s invasion of … Continue reading
The Axis of Evil: America’s Interference with “Rogue States”
As shown by the history of the Cold War, the threat of mutually assured destruction is the most effective way to deter the United States from forcing its influence upon a sovereign nation. If any other country were in their shoes, they would be foolish not to do the same. Not only is the United States utterly ill-suited to perform the role of world police, they are perhaps the most powerful rogue state to ever exist.
The 2022 Beijing Olympics: China’s Tool to Consolidate Its Authoritarianism
More than a decade later, China has become even more powerful politically and economically, and Beijing became the only city in the world that held both summer and winter Olympics. However, the 2022 winter Olympics led to more drama than the 2008 summer Olympics, which was ignited by the long-standing debate on China's authoritarianism and suspected human rights violations.
South Korea-Japan Relations: Will the Hostility Ever End?
The mutual animosities between Japan and South Korea remain hostile and unresolved, tied to lingering wounds that have not yet been healed from a century ago. The most critical dispute rooted in the history of these two nations is the “comfort women” crisis — tens of thousands of women across Asia, most of them Korean, were sent into military brothels to service Japanese soldiers as sex slaves.
The Release of Huawei’s Executive: Thaw of Diplomatic Tensions?
Finally, after three years of negotiation impasse, Meng Wanzhou was released after she reached a deal with US prosecutors. Many optimists interpret this compromise as a thaw of the diplomatic tension among China, Canada, and the US. However, warning signs should be drawn from this incident.
Woman or Womb?: The Ongoing Exploitation of Chinese Women’s Bodies
In China, a lack of protective legislation against domestic violence and women’s lack of freedom and access to reproductive health is a major concern. Most importantly, and perhaps less acknowledged, is the decades-long, government-provoked trauma faced by women in China in terms of reproductive restrictions.
Taiwan: Is “Meaningful Representation” Possible?
Through the lens of history, Taiwan has always been a part of China - will history repeat itself or will Taiwan pave a new way?