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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.
April 16, 2021
Long After the World Moved on, Bangladesh Is Still Sheltering Rohingya Refugees
By Sayeed Ahmed
The world owes Bangladesh a standing ovation for taking in an astonishing 1.3 million Rohingyas.
April 16, 2021
A Crisis in Timor-Leste Reveals the Hollowness of ‘Build Back Better’ Rhetoric
By Chloe King
Despite invocations to envision a better, more equal world in the wake of COVID-19, global inequalities remain deeply entrenched.
April 15, 2021
Jumpstarting China’s Industrial Decarbonization Revolution
By Phelim Kyne
China's decarbonization plans must begin with its steel sector, which contributes 15 percent of its total carbon emissions.
April 15, 2021
Vietnam’s Great Debate Over Democracy
By Trien Vinh Le
Dynamic political reform can resolve an internal ideological conflict – and help differentiate Vietnam from China.
April 14, 2021
Afghan Civil Society Must Not Be Left Out of the Peace Process
By Samina Ansari
During the 2001 Bonn Conference, the U.N. opted for a “light footprint” that delegated its civilian development role to foreign military forces. That cannot happen again.
April 09, 2021
Sri Lankan Muslims Fear Speaking Out
By Tasnim Nazeer
A crackdown on dissenting voices -- those denouncing Islamophobia and criticizing the government -- has Sri Lanka’s Muslims afraid to speak out.
April 08, 2021
The US Must Help Afghans Who Helped It
By James Schwemlein and Earl Anthony Wayne
While working for a sustainable peace, the U.S. must also recognize that withdrawing from Afghanistan should not mean abandoning the many Afghans who supported its mission.
April 07, 2021
Afghanistan: A Difficult Road Ahead, But Change Is Inescapable
By Abdallah Al Dardari and Zafiris Tzannatos
If peace is achieved soon, Afghanistan can face the future with optimism.
April 07, 2021
Myanmar on the Brink
By Gerard McDermott
What does the emergence of a government-in-exile and a newly formed alliance of ethnic rebel groups mean for the country’s emerging conflict?
April 06, 2021
The Military’s Coup is Giving Way to a New Dawn for Myanmar
By Saw Kapi
The Myanmar military coup council has not yet fallen, but it is failing fast on all fronts.
April 05, 2021
COVID-19: A Wake-Up Call to Address Development Fault Lines in Asia and the Pacific
By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
The pandemic widened pre-existing gaps in Asia-Pacific development. It’s high time to address those obvious deficits to commit to a better future.
April 02, 2021
Philippines: Embracing Transparency Critical for Mining Sector
By Anj Dacanay
The mining sector in the Philippines has had a lethal impact on people and the environment. Will an international transparency process help end it?
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