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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.
Could Hong Kong Become Another Estonia?
By Walter C. Clemens, Jr.
The independence of the Baltic states also seemed unthinkable -- until it became reality.
Could a ‘Big Freeze’ Be Trump’s Path to a Nobel Prize?
By Graham Allison
A freeze was never envisioned as the end of talks with North Korea. It may be the beginning of denuclearization.
South Korea’s Botched Handling of the Forced Labor Issue
By Kan Kimura
The Moon Jae-in government’s claim of putting the victims first doesn’t stand scrutiny.
What China Experts Miss about China and the US
By Ben Lowsen
A competitive stance is essential to working with China.
1413 Days and Counting: Li Wenzu’s Fight for Her Husband’s Freedom
By Doriane Lau
4 years after the 709 crackdown, lawyer Wang Quanzhang remains imprisoned. His wife refuses to give up hope.
Don’t Let Trump-Kim Summitry Obscure the Difficult Fundamentals of US-North Korea Relations
By Ankit Panda
Donald Trump-Kim Jong-un handshake at Korean border was nice, but fundamental challenges haven’t changed.
DMZ Summitry and the Fall of the Korean Wall
By Jongsoo Lee
The June 30 meeting between Trump, Kim, and Moon shows that North Korea's transition to a “normal country” continues.
New EU Strategy for Central Asia: All About Balance
By Fabienne Bossuyt
The new strategy reflects a more accurate understanding of the region and of the EU’s comparative advantages.
Osaka G20: The Important Meeting Most Media Missed
By Andrey Panevin
The Sino-Russian partnership has growing appeal for other countries (including India) as the West flounders.
How Many Xi-Trump Personal Truces Will It Take to End the Trade War?
By Ankit Panda
The Osaka “truce” just happened. How long until it falls apart and the trade war cycle repeats itself?
Is It Time for the United States to Recognize Taiwan?
By Ben Lowsen
No, but all options are on the table.
The Case for Containing China
By Francis P. Sempa
China, like the Soviet Union before it, is a peer competitor of the United States but it is not invincible.