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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.
September 24, 2020
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on the Struggle for a Free Thailand
By Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit
Young Thais are becoming increasingly fed up with the stifling consensus and repeated military interventions in the country's politics.
September 24, 2020
The India-China Ladakh Crisis: Why So Silent, World?
By Abhijnan Rej
The fact that the tense standoff in Ladakh has not led to a greater impression on the public in the U.S. and elsewhere raises uncomfortable questions.
September 22, 2020
Seeking a Viable Alternative to Indonesia’s Blasphemy Laws
By Desi Hanara
Instead of criminalizing blasphemy, Indonesia should focus on penalizing incitement to discrimination, hostility, and violence.
September 18, 2020
Japan: Dealing with North Korea’s Growing Missile Threat
By Koda Yoji
Time for Japan’s political leaders to do their job.
September 16, 2020
Reality Check on Human Rights in Uzbekistan
By Hugh Williamson
Tashkent needs clear goals for a Human Rights Council term.
September 15, 2020
Why Am I Worried About the Taliban’s Return?
By Ali Reza Sarwar
One Afghan explains why he’s concerned about the return of the Taliban to the official political arena in Afghanistan.
September 15, 2020
Pakistan’s Fight Against COVID-19 Has Made Imran Khan Stronger
By Syed Ali Zia Jaffery
By bringing the military in as a stakeholder as well as advocating a smart lockdown, Khan’s COVID-19 response has consolidated his hold on power.
September 14, 2020
Is Pakistan Safe for Women?
By Tehreem Azeem
The horrific gang rape of a mother along the highway was not an isolated incident, but comes against a backdrop of regular threats and harassment of women.
September 14, 2020
Recover Better Together: Taiwan Can Help
By Jaushieh Joseph Wu
“Working together for the greater good is how the world will defeat COVID-19,” Taiwan’s foreign minister writes – and Taiwan must be a part of that effort.
September 12, 2020
China-US Media Relations Are Cratering. That’s a Serious Problem.
By Mu Chunshan
Amid the tensions, media on both sides have been casualties. That bodes very poorly for the future of U.S.-China relations.
September 11, 2020
Rapidly Evolving Missile Threats Require Modern, Multilateral Approaches
By Izumi Nakamitsu
Preventing the spread and emergence of destabilizing missile threats is a vital, unfinished task for the international community.
September 11, 2020
The Need for an Enduring US Military Presence in Afghanistan
By Julian D. Alford and Amin Tarzi
U.S. interests in Afghanistan are enduring and will need to be safeguarded into the future.
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