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The Debate

The Debate is our home for the best opinions from around Asia. Whether it is negotiating with Iran, responding to North Korean provocations, discussing Japan's looming demographic issues, or considering the new balance of power in the Asia-Pacific, some of the region's leading thinkers offer their take.

Why Trump’s Conflict of Interest Over a TikTok Sale Matters 

Why Trump’s Conflict of Interest Over a TikTok Sale Matters 

By Charles Mok
Trump's sudden opposition to a potential TikTok ban deserves closer scrutiny.

When Diversity Meets Diplomacy: LGBTQ+ Experiences in Foreign Missions

When Diversity Meets Diplomacy: LGBTQ+ Experiences in Foreign Missions

By Jack Hayes
Over two dozen countries in the Asia-Pacific still criminalize same-gender relationships. We need more research on how this impacts LGBTQ+ diplomats – and you can help.
Time for a New Approach to the North Korea Problem. How About Canada?

Time for a New Approach to the North Korea Problem. How About Canada?

By Chan Mo Ku
Canada, with its diplomatic experience as an honest broker and history of track two engagement with North Korea, is well-positioned to try its hand at mediation.

Time to End ‘Waste Colonialism’ Through a Global Plastics Treaty

Time to End ‘Waste Colonialism’ Through a Global Plastics Treaty

By Mageswari Sangaralingam
Developed countries need to stop exporting their plastic trash to Asian countries under the guise of “recycling.”

The 2024 China-US AI Dialogue Should Start With an Eye on Chem-Bio Weapons

The 2024 China-US AI Dialogue Should Start With an Eye on Chem-Bio Weapons

By David Heslop  and Joel Keep
Washington and Beijing should focus their forthcoming AI dialogue on platforms that neither want to see in the hands of terrorist groups: those that can aid in the construction of biological and chemical weapons.

Busting 6 ‘Peak China’ Myths 

Busting 6 ‘Peak China’ Myths 

By Wang Wen
A more nuanced look at China's economic indicators is necessary to understand current trends.

Afghan Women’s Woes: Beyond and Before the Taliban

Afghan Women’s Woes: Beyond and Before the Taliban

By Freshta Jalalzai
Even under the previous government, horrific cases of violence against women occurred with startling frequency.
The House China Committee Should Convene a Hearing on Taiwan

The House China Committee Should Convene a Hearing on Taiwan

By Hiro Fu
Amidst the strategic competition between the United States and China, Taiwan's encounters with Chinese aggression offer essential perspectives for U.S. policymakers and the public.

China Should Be Held to Account for Its Companies’ Labor Abuses Abroad

China Should Be Held to Account for Its Companies’ Labor Abuses Abroad

By Qiang Li
The CCP exerts significant control even over notionally private firms operating overseas. Sadly, Chinese citizens’ well-being seems to be the only area that the party does not prioritize.

President Biden Should Congratulate Indonesia’s Prabowo Now

President Biden Should Congratulate Indonesia’s Prabowo Now

By Ernest Z. Bower
Washington is awaiting until the release of official results before contacting the president-elect. But waiting would be strategically costly.

Global Tech Companies’ Deafening Silence on Deteriorating Internet Freedom in Hong Kong

Global Tech Companies’ Deafening Silence on Deteriorating Internet Freedom in Hong Kong

By Michael Caster
Global tech giants should speak out against attempts to control internet intermediaries and use national security laws as a pretext for censorship and surveillance in Hong Kong. 
Why India Became Indispensable to US Foreign Policy and Pakistan Was Left Behind

Why India Became Indispensable to US Foreign Policy and Pakistan Was Left Behind

By Syed Abdul Ahad Waseem
Democracy and “shared values” play a major role in diplomacy – something that Pakistan seems to have overlooked.

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