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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.
Bio-tracked, Mistreated, Hog-tied: Immigration Detention in East Asia in 2021
By Surabhi Chopra and Chloe Fung
Governments in Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea routinely detain migrants in closed custodial institutions.
Meet the New Uyghurs
By Henryk Szadziewski
China's propaganda narrative centers on the personal transformations of Uyghurs, removing the cultural and ethnic markers Beijing finds distasteful.
Why International Assistance for the Rohingya in Bangladesh is Declining
By Katie Hatdash
Dhaka complains about tight Western purse strings, but its own actions are mostly to blame for the donor fatigue.
Hong Kong’s Rigged Election
By Michael Mo
Sunday’s Legislative Council polls are a test of the resistance of pro-democracy Hong Kongers.
The Problem With CAATSA
By Mukesh Aghi and Vikram Mahajan
The U.S. government has many reasons to grant India a waiver for its purchases of Russian defense equipment.
The Rohingya Trapped on a Remote Tropical Island
By Zaw Win
Thousands of Rohingya refugees have been relocated to Bhasan Char, which is closer to an island prison than an appropriate location for resettlement.
Cambodia’s Myanmar Crisis Diplomacy: Give Talks a Chance
By Sao Phal Niseiy
As unpalatable as it sounds, political dialogue with the military offers the best route out of the country's political and humanitarian crisis.
The US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Still Has Serious Flaws
By Pierfilippo M. Natta
Uyghur rights should come ahead of corporations' profit. Not according to the U.S. legislature.
Workers’ Rights Denied in Kazakhstan: Zhanaozen’s Legacy
By Mihra Rittmann
The trajectory of labor rights restriction in Kazakhstan can be traced to what happened in Zhanaozen in 2011 -- and the aftermath.
Vietnam’s Annus Horribilis for Human Rights
By Stewart Rees
Today's conviction and imprisonment of human rights defender Pham Doan Trang is part of a concerted crackdown on dissent.
Bob Dole and a Lost Era of China-US Cooperation
By Chi Wang
Like the late Senator Dole, the Greatest Generation had a unique memory of World War II-era alliance between the U.S. and China.
Japan’s Lesson for the World: Robots Won’t Save Us
By Paul Christensen
Rethinking Japan’s global relevance in the 21st century.