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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 World Must Save the Uyghurs
By Benedict Rogers
Long-standing repression of the Uyghur culture has reached stunning new lows. What happened to “Never again”?
Invite President Tsai Before Congress? Not a Wise Move.
By Dennis V. Hickey
The risks for Taiwan and the U.S. far outweigh the benefits.
Stay the Course to Win the Peace in Afghanistan
By M. Ashraf Haidari
The U.S. must be careful not to repeat the mistake of an overly-hasty withdrawal of support for Afghanistan.
Why Speaker Pelosi Should Invite President Tsai Ing-wen Before Congress
By Gerrit van der Wees
And why that invitation should signal a US policy change toward normalization.
US-China Relations in Flux: The Road to a Showdown
By Ben Lowsen
The United States is for the first time substantively responding to China’s rejection of international norms.
The Japan-South Korea Maritime Spat: Lessons Learned
By Mark J. Valencia
The confrontation has implications for the rest of Asia, and the United States.
Huawei’s Legal Woes and Tech ’Decoupling’ Between China and the West
By Ankit Panda
Huawei is just the beginning in a longer-term decoupling between the West and China.
Rohingya Refugees Caught Between India and a Hard Place
By Meenakshi Ganguly
All Rohingya in India should have access to a fair procedure through the UN refugee agency.
A Year Later, a Civil Rights Movement Soldiers on in Pakistan
By Afrasiab Khattak
The February 2018 Islamabad sit-in gave birth to the most dynamic, active, and nonviolent youth political uprising Pakistan has seen.
Appraising Germany's 'Alliance of Multilateralists' Idea in an Asian Context
By Ankit Panda
Can Germany lead an "alliance of multilateralists"? Is there a constituency for the idea in the Asia-Pacific?
Human Rights Overlooked as Indonesia's Presidential Election Nears
By Usman Hamid
Both candidates were largely silent on past and current human rights issues in the country.
Trump’s Missile Defense Review Will Be Read Closely in China
By Ankit Panda
The 2019 U.S. Missile Defense Review will vindicate longstanding anxieties in China and Russia.