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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.
The Ghulja Massacre of 1997 and the Face of Uyghur Genocide Today
By Zubayra Shamseden
24 years ago, a brutal crackdown on Uyghur protesters changed one family’s lives forever. Incredibly, things have only gotten worse for the Uyghurs since then.
Perfecting Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy
By Sana Hashmi
Taiwan’s foreign policy focus needs a firmer people-centric dimension to fully realize its ambitions.
Nicholas Spykman and Asian Nationalism
By Francis P. Sempa
An article from 1926 can shed light on Asia’s approach to the West today.
Will the Biden Administration Embrace Trump’s Extreme Anti-China Rhetoric?
By Amitai Etzioni
The new administration will have to sidestep yet another Trump landmine.
Disaster Shadows Chinese Mining Ventures in Southeast Asia
By Tongam Panggabean and Dustin Roasa
China has recently tightened its mining safety regulations, but they don't apply to Chinese-owned mines overseas.
Is India Being Swiped Left by Britain? Could Others Follow?
By Abhijnan Rej
A recent paper by a British think tank head, and ensuing commentary, once again leads to key questions about the implicit assumptions driving Indian foreign policy.
Robust Freedom of Navigation Operations Must Continue
By David F. Lasseter
FONOPs benefit the United States as well as the rest of the international community – and enjoy bipartisan support in Washington.
The Pitfalls of the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment
By Dr. James Carafano, Dr. Arvind Gupta, Jeff M. Smith
Two of Europe's important partners, India and the U.S., share concerns about the new deal.
Mind the Remote Learning Gap in ASEAN
By Lim Cher Ping, Geoffrey M. Ducanes, Nicola Nixon, and Pitchanuch Supavanich
As a result of COVID-19, the educational gap is expected to widen across ASEAN.
Vietnam Leadership Transition Will Not Loosen the Party’s Grip
By Huong Nguyen
The past five years have seen a sharp increase in both the number of arrests of dissidents, and the severity of the sentences imposed on them.
China’s Hypocrisy on America’s Democracy
By Bonnie Girard
The Global Times' narrative on the events of January 6 and beyond conveniently avoids any need for Chinese introspection.
Love-Hate Relationships: The Divergent US Perceptions of Japan and China
By Su-Mei Ooi
A pervasive pro-Japan bias in the U.S. has blinded Americans to the dangers of Japan’s far-right leaders – and reinforced enmity with China.