When Nüora Global’s managing partner was invited on short notice to debate the ethics of engaging with China, we put our bespoke research and media training model to the test.
The Takeaways:
Nüora Global assembled a research team within hours to prepare for a major international debate.
Winning debates takes more than expertise—it requires research, persuasive messaging, anticipating counterarguments and media training.
The debate showcased Nüora Global’s model: fast, tailored research, strategic communications and access to a trusted network of top experts.
When Open to Debate invited Nüora Global Managing Partner Joanna Chiu to dissect one of the most contentious geopolitical questions of the moment, there was a catch: she had only 72 hours to prepare before boarding the international flight.
The debate, held live at the Oslo Freedom Forum, asked:
Is it ethical to cooperate with Chinese state institutions to secure incremental change?
Joanna would argue yes. Former journalist and CEO of Strategy Risks, Isaac Stone Fish, would be on the no side, with Emmy Award-winning moderator John Donvan leading the discussion before a live audience who would determine who was more persuasive. The debate is now available through the Open to Debate podcast, YouTube, Substack and more than 250 NPR stations across the United States.
It was an opportunity to put Nüora Global’s own research, strategic communications and media training model into practice under intense time pressure.
The 72-hour sprint
When America’s leading non-partisan debate platform extended the invitation, Joanna had just returned from a two-week business trip across Asia, and was coordinating multiple client engagements.
Within hours, Nüora Global assembled a rapid-response team to provide the research, strategic advice, and media preparation needed for the high-profile debate.
Strategic Communications Advisor Chenni Xu prepared a comprehensive briefing covering opening arguments, likely questions, rebuttals, supporting evidence, and key messages. Nüora Global advisor Elizabeth Donkervoort, historian Andy Liu of Villanova University, and Yale Law School Senior Fellow Darius Longarino contributed research, strategic advice, and fact-checking, while Joanna sought additional input from experts and incorporated their insights.
Then, Joanna and Chenni were on a flight to Norway, clipboards of talking points in tow.
After arriving in Oslo late Sunday, preparation continued the morning of the debate with researchers including Fergus Ryan of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, before Joanna walked onto the stage at the beautiful Oslo Concert Hall.
This ability to assemble specialized expertise and deliver incisive analysis tailored to each client’s priorities and timeline is exactly how Nüora Global approaches our work.
The debate
Joanna opened with a firm argument: cutting ties with Chinese state institutions ultimately means cutting ties with Chinese people.
She argued that history offers little evidence that isolation produces political reform, pointing to decades of sanctions and isolation targeting countries such as Iran, Cuba and North Korea. Dialogue and engagement, she said, should not be confused with endorsement. She emphasized the need for guardrails, but maintaining channels of communication creates opportunities for accountability, cooperation and mutual understanding.
Isaac drew a distinction between what is ethical versus what is practical. He argued that cooperation with institutions ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party inevitably requires ethical compromises, given the Party’s extensive role across universities, businesses and civil society.
Joanna responded with concrete examples of engagement improving people’s lives, including decades of cooperation between China and UNICEF that expanded access to early childhood education and improved maternal and child health. She also cited research showing that greater international attention significantly increases the likelihood of political prisoners being released before sentencing.
She emphasized that governments themselves—including the United States—continue engaging Chinese state institutions because many global challenges including climate change and AI regulation simply cannot be addressed without cooperation.
“Isolation does not protect people. It hardens systems, increases fear and paranoia, and cuts off the channels where human connection and ideas naturally flow.” — Joanna Chiu
The result
Before the debate:
29.2% voted Yes
38.5% voted No
32.3% were Undecided
After the debate:
43.5% voted Yes
49.3% voted No
Joanna achieved the largest audience movement of the evening—a 14.3 percentage-point swing toward “Yes”—making her the debate’s most persuasive speaker under Open to Debate’s scoring system.
You can watch the full debate through Open to Debate’s Substack or YouTube and decide for yourself.
Four media training lessons from a winning debate
Whether you’re preparing for a debate, a panel discussion or a high-stakes media interview, preparation isn’t just about knowing your subject—it’s about communicating it effectively.
Nüora Global’s Strategic Communications Advisor Chenni Xu emphasized four key principles throughout the preparation process:
Every interview is a conversation you can shape. Focus on delivering value while ensuring your key messages land clearly and memorably.
Master the bridge. Answer each question honestly and directly before connecting back to one of your three key messages.
Avoid non-answers. Audiences quickly recognize evasive responses.
Slow down. Deliberate pacing projects confidence, authority and credibility.
These are just a few of the principles that underpin Nüora Global’s executive media training for leaders navigating today’s increasingly complex communications landscape.
Putting our multidisciplinary approach into practice
The Oslo debate wasn’t simply a successful speaking engagement.
It demonstrated how quickly a multidisciplinary team can deliver rigorous research, strategic communications, executive coaching and fact-checking under significant time pressure.
Led by veteran journalists and experienced business advisors, Nüora Global helps organizations navigate geopolitical complexity through customized research, executive media training and access to an international network of investigative specialists and subject-matter experts.
The 72-hour preparation for Oslo demonstrated exactly how this model works—and how quickly it can deliver results. In addition to executive media training, our network of former senior journalists are available to conduct mock interviews to prepare leaders for high-stakes public engagements. Contact us to learn how we can help.
Thank you for reading and supporting Nüora Global Advisors.
Before we sign off, we’d like to welcome the newest member of our team, Danielle Dillon, who joins us as a Business Development Associate.
Danielle recently graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations, specializing in Asian history and international affairs. She previously interned with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and has already become an integral part of the Nüora team, bringing fresh energy to projects ranging from supply chain research to producing a debate highlight reel.
We’re thrilled to have her on board and look forward to introducing more of her work in future editions.
— Solarina Ho, Editor, Research and Publications at Nüora Global