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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.
Military Action Against Iran: Lessons From the Falklands War
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Few things boost the popularity of a democratically elected politician more than a short military conflict against an authoritarian regime.
Japan’s Cold-Blooded Approach to the Rohingya Crisis
By Teppei Kasai
As the new “leader of the liberal order in Asia,” Japan has a responsibility to promote human rights in its foreign policy.
Why the US May Lose Taiwan to Beijing Economically
By Charles I-hsin Chen
Washington needs to give economic ties as much focus as security ties, lest Taiwan fall irrevocably into Beijing’s orbit.
How Free Press Has Strengthened Democracy in Afghanistan
By M. Ashraf Haidari
Afghanistan's free press is providing a critical service for the country's young democracy.
Unyielding Attacks on Free Speech in Myanmar Signal a Transition in Peril
By Allie Funk
The pardon of Reuters journalists should not be mistaken as evidence authorities are easing restrictions on free speech.
Is China’s Belt and Road Initiative Undermining Human Rights?
By Abbas Faiz
The BRI has provided much-needed development, but it has also generated more authoritarianism.
Despite China’s Tough Talk, US Should Move Forward With Taiwan
By Alan Hao Yang and Jeremy Huai-Che Chiang
China's belligerent rhetoric toward Taiwan is all the more reason for Washington and Taipei to stick together.
Fishing Boat Saga Reveals Asia’s Lingering Refugee Challenge
By Luke Hunt
The case of the Daya Mata speaks to broader issues that the region continues to confront.
Modi 2.0 and India’s Complex Relationship With China
By Ankit Panda
The relationship with China will loom large in Narendra Modi’s second term as India’s prime minister.
Technology Policy Has Placed India at a Defining Crossroads
By Nikhil Sud
The Modi government’s second term will determine the fate of India’s technology sector.
Is America Seeking to End the Current International System?
By Jin Kai
China is often criticized as revisionist, but the United States under Trump seems more dissatisfied with the international order.
Why the UK Shouldn’t Follow Washington on China
By Tim Summers
A divergence between the China policies of the two traditional trans-Atlantic allies is not new.