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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 New US Tariffs Are a Wake-Up Call For ASEAN
By Lee Chean Chung
If the bloc fails to prioritize human rights in its response to the coming economic turmoil, it will emerge more divided, more unequal, and less free.
Hong Kong Sanctions a Bright Spot in Trump’s Foreign Policy
By Benedict Rogers
Beijing has torn up Hong Kong’s freedoms and now threatens the security of Hong Kongers and their supporters around the world. It must not be allowed to get away with this with impunity.
ASEAN’s Position in Plastic Treaty Negotiations: Paper Tiger, Plastic Dragon?
By Yuyun Ismawati and Wong Pui Yi
ASEAN has become an attractive destination for petrochemical expansion and plastic waste exports, given its proximity to China and regional appetite for foreign investment. This will come at high risks to the region.
COP31: An Opportunity That Australia Cannot Afford to Miss
By Melanie Pill and Richie Merzian
The benefits of co-hosting the annual climate negotiations by far outweigh the costs, both economically and strategically.
Airstrikes Amid Earthquakes: Myanmar’s Double Disaster
By Myra Dahgaypaw and La Min
The junta's muddled and repressive response to the devastating March 28 earthquake show where its priorities really lie.
Modi’s Waqf Bill a Potential Death Blow for Muslim Property Rights
By Rasheed Ahmed
Although the Indian government has justified the revisions in terms of transparency and anti-corruption, there is little reason to assume it is acting in good faith.
No Time to Waste for Asia-Pacific Leadership
By Christoph Nedopil, Dian Tjondronegoro, and Gloria Ge
The Asia-Pacific stands at a crossroads amid geopolitical, economic, and environmental volatility, but this turbulence presents an opportunity for transformative leadership.
Beyond the Barracks: Indonesia’s Military Edges Back Into Civilian Affairs
By Carolyn Nash
Recent revisions to the country's 2004 National Armed Forces Law have broken down the firewall between the military and civilian spheres.
The Chaos of Wage Theft in Bangladesh’s Garment Sector Requires Global Accountability
By Mohammad Imon Kazi
If wage theft and worker exploitation remains unresolved, Bangladesh’s development triumph will prove to be an empty miracle.
Trump’s Gutting of RFA Hurts Press Freedom – And Helps Its Opponents – Across Asia
By Montse Ferrer
RFA and VOA had been the most accessible alternatives to state media for many people in countries like China and North Korea. Not anymore.
Pakistan’s War on Balochistan Has Reached a Point of No Return
By Dilshad Baluch
The arrest of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the leader of the peaceful Baloch protest movement, has set the entire province aflame.
Afghan Schools Reopen for Another Year Without Girls
By Meena Ahmadi
Afghan women share stories of the toll the education ban is taking – and how they are fighting back.
What India Needs to do to Fix the Foundations of its WASH Sector
By Joel Kolker
It must cover operating costs and capital expenditures through a transparent long-term mix of taxes and user charges.
The Disappearance of Voice of America Is a Failure of American Values
By Li Qiang
For decades, VOA has not only brought accurate information to China, but has served as a rare conduit for Chinese activists to speak to the world.
A Rebuttal From Singapore’s US Ambassador
By Lui Tuck Yew
“We welcome legitimate investors and businessmen, but we act firmly and decisively against those who break our laws.”
It’s Time For a ‘Like-minded Autonomy’ in the Indo-Pacific
By Joshua Espeña
Can the Philippines play a role in convening regional discussions aimed at upholding a rules-based order?
Why Won’t Baloch Civil Rights Groups Condemn the BLA?
By Kiyya Baloch
Rights activists like the BYC say that demands for such statements are an attempt to sidestep the real issues: years of political marginalization, human rights abuses, and economic neglect in Balochistan.
A Roadmap for South-South Cooperation
By Fifa A. Rahman, Benjamin Djoudalbaye, J. Carolyn Gomes, Nagham Karhili, J. Carlos Lara, and Munira Mustaffa
Greater Global South solidarity is the only viable solution in the face of the seismic political shifts in the West.
India Needs to De-weaponize Misinformation
By Pradip Thomas
Indian law needs to fix the meaning of fake news and misinformation and needs to be tied to the public interest rather than to the interest of the state.
Argentina’s President Milei Ignores Asia
By Patricio Giusto and Juan Manuel Harán
It is evident that Asia – with its immense economic development and limitless opportunities for Argentina – has no place in Milei’s libertarian world.
Myanmar’s Decentralized Resistance Is Too Resilient and Flexible to Crush
By Miemie Winn Byrd
The lack of unified leadership has often been described as a weakness. But it may be the movement's greatest strength.
The US Is Failing Uyghurs – and Letting China Dominate American Allies
By Omer Kanat
If the U.S. intends to be great, it cannot allow China a free pass to bully its allies.
Filipinos Needed to See Duterte in the Dock
By David Hutt
Since his arrest, the ex-leader, his family, and his supporters have presented a spectacle of unrepentant self-pity.
Why the US Must Push For Meaningful Financial Reform in Singapore
By Alvin Camba
The city-state has become become a major conduit for the flow of Chinese capital. Washington should be concerned.
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