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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 US Is Failing Uyghurs – and Letting China Dominate American Allies

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

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

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.

Thailand Forcibly Sends Uyghurs to China After Decade-Long Arbitrary Detention

Thailand Forcibly Sends Uyghurs to China After Decade-Long Arbitrary Detention

By Yalkun Uluyol
Once again, the world has failed Uyghurs.

Why Backing Ukraine Is a Diplomatic Imperative for Malaysia

Why Backing Ukraine Is a Diplomatic Imperative for Malaysia

By Harrelson Yee Wen Foo
With the U.S. stepping back from its support of Ukraine, Kuala Lumpur has a lot to gain from opposing Russia's assault on the country.

What’s Driving Taiwan’s Mass Protests?
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What’s Driving Taiwan’s Mass Protests?

Duterte’s ICC Arrest: Challenging Impunity in Southeast Asia and Beyond

Duterte’s ICC Arrest: Challenging Impunity in Southeast Asia and Beyond

By Khoo Ying Hooi
The former leader's transfer to The Hague has the chance to usher in a new era of accountability for the region.

Southeast Asia’s ‘Scamdemic’ Is a Wake Up Call for the Region

Southeast Asia’s ‘Scamdemic’ Is a Wake Up Call for the Region

By Agrippina
The region's digital boom has enabled the scourge of cyber-slavery. Only coordinated action from the region's government can bring it to an end.
Before Gender Equality, Balochistan’s Women Must Fight for Basic Survival

Before Gender Equality, Balochistan’s Women Must Fight for Basic Survival

By Sabiha Baloch
While much of the world’s feminist movements focus on empowerment and equality, in Balochistan, the struggle is far more basic: the right to exist in a place where human rights are routinely violated.

Trump and Musk Doom the World’s Poorest to Even More Suffering from Climate Disasters

Trump and Musk Doom the World’s Poorest to Even More Suffering from Climate Disasters

By Krista Shennum
The Trump administration's retreat from global climate efforts has opened up a funding gap that urgently needs to be filled.

Voting for Survival: Pacific Islanders and Australia’s Federal Elections

Voting for Survival: Pacific Islanders and Australia’s Federal Elections

By Joseph Sikulu
For Pacific Islanders in Australia, this election is about more than just domestic policy. It’s about the survival of our islands, our cultures, and our people.

Thailand’s Uyghur Repatriation Shows the Consequences of Trump Policy Incoherence

Thailand’s Uyghur Repatriation Shows the Consequences of Trump Policy Incoherence

By Carolyn Nash
The Trump administration is no longer demonstrating concern with its own purported human rights priorities, and Thailand knows it.
Federal Social Democracy: The Right – and Only – Path Forward for Myanmar

Federal Social Democracy: The Right – and Only – Path Forward for Myanmar

By Christopher Win
History suggests that resistance will not end when the military falls. It will only end when real systemic justice is achieved.

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