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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.
Rethinking Taiwan’s Claims in the South China Sea
By Gary Sands
Discarding its “U-shaped line” claim could help Taiwan boost its international image and create distance between itself and Beijing.
Why China's Data Regulations Are a Compliance Nightmare for Companies
By Daniel Rechtschaffen
Legal ambiguities leave companies guessing where they must follow the laws and when they can just risk it.
Macron in Japan: Upgrading the Franco-Japanese Strategic Partnership in the Indo-Pacific
By Céline Pajon
Japan stands out as a key partner as France has been recently developing an Indo-Pacific strategy.
The G20 Comes to Japan: Making Sense of the Osaka Agenda
By Wrenn Yennie Lindgren
How do the outcomes of the G-20’s eight engagement groups factor into this year’s Osaka Summit?
China’s Long, Hot Summer of Censorship
By Sarah Cook
June has been a terrible month for internet freedom in China. July may be even worse.
Hong Kong Needs China, and It Needs the World Too
By He Jun
Hong Kong's prosperity depends on its unique relationship to the rest of the world.
Military Action Against Iran: Lessons From the Falklands War
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Few things boost the popularity of a democratically elected politician more than a short military conflict against an authoritarian regime.
Japan’s Cold-Blooded Approach to the Rohingya Crisis
By Teppei Kasai
As the new “leader of the liberal order in Asia,” Japan has a responsibility to promote human rights in its foreign policy.
Why the US May Lose Taiwan to Beijing Economically
By Charles I-hsin Chen
Washington needs to give economic ties as much focus as security ties, lest Taiwan fall irrevocably into Beijing’s orbit.
How Free Press Has Strengthened Democracy in Afghanistan
By M. Ashraf Haidari
Afghanistan's free press is providing a critical service for the country's young democracy.
Unyielding Attacks on Free Speech in Myanmar Signal a Transition in Peril
By Allie Funk
The pardon of Reuters journalists should not be mistaken as evidence authorities are easing restrictions on free speech.
Is China’s Belt and Road Initiative Undermining Human Rights?
By Abbas Faiz
The BRI has provided much-needed development, but it has also generated more authoritarianism.