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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.
António Guterres Should Act on China’s Genocide of the Uyghurs
By Omer Kanat
Photo ops with genocidaires discredit his legacy, his office, and the United Nations as an agent of world peace.
Newsom’s Big Test: China, Climate, and Human Rights
By Brad Adams
The California governor can and should address human rights – such as free speech, peaceful protest, and participation in public affairs – as part of his discussions on climate change.
The Growing Significance of Malaysia and Indonesia’s Non-Recognition of Israel
By Aiza Mohamad
With more Arab states choosing to normalize relations with Tel Aviv, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur have emerged as prominent advocates for the Palestinian cause.
Vietnam Must Do More to Support Women and Other Marginalized Communities
By Ngoc Thuy Bui
During the Vietnam War, thousands of women were raped by South Korean soldiers and later bore their children. The government continues to turn a blind eye to their suffering.
North Korea’s Human Rights Abuses and Weapons of Mass Destruction Are Inextricably Linked
By Jack Rendler
The U.N. Security Council should simultaneously address the nuclear program and the human rights abuses that are inseparable aspects of the Kim Jong Un regime.
Australia Shirks Responsibility to Indigenous Communities With Rejected Voice Referendum
By Grant Wyeth
Rather than understand the responsibility Australia has for its Indigenous population, both the Liberal and National parties sensed political opportunity in opposing the Voice.
No Media Lessons Learned From Thailand’s Siam Paragon Tragedy
By Mark S. Cogan
The Thai and international media have treated the country's latest episode of gun violence as a spectacle.
Canada’s Foreign Interference Inquiries Should Not Be Distracted by Diplomatic Struggles With India
By Chauncey Jung
While Trudeau is correct in expanding the scope of foreign interference, it is necessary to distinguish the different tactics India and China have adopted in Canada.
Bolivia Lithium Contracts Make It Complicit In China’s Uyghur Abuses
By Joseph Bouchard and Yulina Goto
Chinese firms involved in extracting the country's large reserves of the vital mineral have well-documented links to forced labor and other abuses in the Xinjiang region.
10 Years On: Why Strategic Trust Still Matters
By Vu Le Thai Hoang and Ngo Di Lan
As the Indo-Pacific emerges as the central theater of geopolitical rivalry, the absence of strategic trust is not merely an academic concern but a pressing existential issue.
US Senators Need to Raise the Uyghur Genocide on Beijing Visit
By Omer Kanat
While diplomatic engagement with China is essential, it cannot come at the cost of ignoring the egregious human rights abuses taking place in the Uyghur region.
An Economist vs. Uzbekistan’s Silk Industry: Whose Facts Matter?
By Umida Niyazova
A coming court verdict on the admissibility of independently verified information could have lasting negative implications for labor rights reporting in Uzbekistan.