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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.
July 14, 2020
COVID-19 Tests Communitarian Values
By Amitai Etzioni
The world's most communitarian countries are handling the pandemic well. The most individualistic countries are doing the worst.
July 13, 2020
Remember Liu Xiaobo by Supporting Rights Activists in China
By Yaqiu Wang
On the anniversary of the death of Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, the fight for human rights in China continues.
July 09, 2020
Uzbekistan Must Stay on the Path of Religious Freedom Reform
By Nadine Maenza and Nury Turkel
Tashkent has made progress on the path toward greater religious freedom, but must remain vigilant to protect the gains it has made and continue to actively push forward.
July 08, 2020
Why Okinawans Are Outraged by the Aegis Ashore Cancellation
By Robert Kajiwara
The cancellation of the controversial missile defense program is seen as discrimination by Okinawans, who have long fought base construction on similar grounds.
July 08, 2020
Pakistan’s Hinduphobia
By Kunwar Khuldune Shahid
The government’s plan to support the Shri Krishna temple in Islamabad has sparked a predictable, but still deplorable, backlash.
July 07, 2020
South Korea Wants Another Trump-Kim Summit. Would It Be Worthwhile?
By Dan DePetris
What could another summit accomplish at this point?
July 06, 2020
America’s Hong Kong Approach Does More Harm Than Good
By Jin Kai
Washington intends to signal its resolve to Beijing, but Hong Kong is not reliant on U.S. goodwill.
July 06, 2020
Where the US-China Trade War Should Go From Here
By Mayaz Alam
More tariffs cannot be the answer amid the pandemic.
July 05, 2020
The Unraveling of Imran Khan: How Pakistan’s Prime Minister Fumbled
By Tilak Devasher
All is not well with Imran Khan.
July 01, 2020
How Can the World Help Hong Kong?
By Benedict Rogers and Johnny Patterson
It is time for coordinated international action to give Hong Kongers a lifeline.
June 30, 2020
Japan Should Continue to Speak up on the Chinese Government’s Human Rights Abuses
By Teppei Kasai
Taking a tough, meaningful stand against Beijing is not easy, but Tokyo must continue to demonstrate the depth of its commitments to human rights.
June 29, 2020
Bangladesh Silencing Teenage Dissent
By Tasnim Nazeer
A 15-year-old was arrested for criticizing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook.
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