I start off with something, that will seem like something totally irrelevant: I liked the opening of Lie to me. Specifically the end of it, where the protagonist looks into the camera obscura.
Much like how things we seem to know as truth can be shrouded by culture, or other factors, and most of what we see is through the lens of the camera obscura, and nobody else can see it the same way.
In all of the topics concerned with the question, many said their piece about what they think it represents, but I've never seen mentioning the source, in this case, Cho himself. The scene is short, because they shot it in Dubai, a place both "famous" for its sex tourism and also about women being punished for getting raped (see, that's adultery for those guys). It should not surprise anyone they couldn't find an Asian actor to play the part, this being reason two, since it was played by Simon Pegg's co-writer.
Why Asian? Much like how the homophobic comments concentrate on the supposed natural order of things (except animals in tribal relations never get any, and one male gets all females, so our human societies are anything but natural), we might be racially and culturally insensitive at best.
While Takei defended Roddenberry's decision in the regard of Sulu, as an Asian gay person, with a longer history, than Cho's entire life, still did get it. The other reason for this inclusion was to show, that many cultures, and their views on anything out of the norm isn't as advanced as it is in most Western societies. The emphasis here is on anything they see out of the norm, which includes premarital sex. Speaking of which, I look forward to Joel Edgerton's new movie about their interracial marriage, and the same state, the one for lovers, was the same state, that until the 1990's has criminalized heterogeneous cohabitation while not being married. It was also an enforced law, not just something remaining on the books. 25 years after Star Trek launched. If there's any agenda, it's the one to start and catch up to the rest of the world.
Cho asked for including this story line both to honor Takei, and also to show Asian gay men, how they shan't be ashamed about how they actually feel and act, as they're no lesser, than anybody else. It can be discussed, that Sulu wasn't the best choice, but that would overshadow the fact, just how much progress some are willing to take. Star Trek fans themselves accepted a balding captain, and an android, but a black commander started a racist campaign, and when Janeway came around, the death threats came along with it, that was less than 25 years ago. As for Nyota Uhura, sure, her character wasn't as fleshed out as with later generations, but she wasn't a maid, a staple for black women in that era's television.
Last, but not least: George Takei is Japanese American, John Cho isn't. In the Star Trek world, nationalities doesn't mean that much, but in our world, many are blind who claim Hollywood is liberal. Nowhere is it more apparent, then with non-Anglo-Saxon characters (so this includes white people too), that casting directors go with whomever they think fits. It could have been Masi Oka, who is a major Star Trek fan. Yet it isn't because they don't care. Many have sharp ears for "this is not the right accent around here", yet would not have the slightest idea, that the actor who played the father of Nia Vardalos in My big fat Greek wedding, played the father of Michael Keaton in My Life, and on that occasion, a Russian.
When the camera obscura was invented, it was meant, among others, to block out unnecessary things, so that a painter can see more clearly in detail. 4 centuries later some use their own eyes to focus on a part of major significance to a group they share no culture with, and that alone is enough for them to not watch it, and create the idea of the illusion, that it equals a major economic force, it doesn't. Most of the American films co-produced with Chinese companies are always a bigger hit there, and that market alone makes the film profitable. In this context, the Chinese are the Ferrengi and America is the Cardassian Empire, pre-Dominion War.
I live in the Gordius Apartment Complex, my interior designer was M.C. Esher.
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