; "Can human rights survive the era of great-power competition?")
Can human rights survive the era of great-power competition?
As governments increasingly prioritize security and economic interests, democracy and human rights face new challenges in a changing world order. | COLLAGE BY ANNA PETEK/ PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Jul 20, 2026
When I first interviewed Maya Wang in 2024, China’s crackdown on Hong Kong had entered its fourth year, reshaping the global debate on authoritarianism. Since then, wars, geopolitical rivalry and economic competition have increasingly eclipsed human rights as the world’s defining concern.
As Human Rights Watch’s deputy Asia director, Wang has become one of the leading figures documenting abuses in China, especially in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. Her investigations into mass surveillance, digital authoritarianism and the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities have helped shape international understanding of human rights in the 21st century.
When we met again at Human Rights Watch’s Tokyo office earlier this month, I asked how human rights have fared in an era increasingly defined by great-power competition — and if she still believes there are reasons for hope.
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