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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.
Asia-Pacific Takes Stock of Ambitious Development Targets
By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and Natalia Kanem
How well has the region responded to trends such as population aging and international migration?
Why These Rohingya Women Refuse to Return to Myanmar
By Khalunisa
“We will never go to the concentration camps they are building for us. Would you?”
ASEAN Summits Another Lost Opportunity for Progress on the South China Sea
By Mark J. Valencia
If anything, the U.S.-China rivalry on open display has made the situation even more complex.
China Must Join the War on Illegal Fishing
By Sally Yozell
Beijing’s no-show at the recent Our Ocean Conference was a missed opportunity for it to be part of the solution.
Time to Course-Correct, Aung San Suu Kyi
By Jieun Pyun
Aung San Suu Kyi should emphasize the importance of celebrating diversity rather than stoking the flames of prejudice.
Don't Let APEC Overshadow the Manus Island Debacle
By Nicholas Bequelin
Will APEC leaders stand by while Australia condemns hundreds to indefinite offshore detention – including in PNG?
The US and China Are Talking Again, But 'Competition' Is Set to Continue
By Ankit Panda
It'll take more than a reconvened Diplomatic and Security Dialogue to get the U.S. and China off their current trajectory.
Exit Night, Enter Light: Lighting up North Korea
By Kelli Kennedy
The promise of commercial nuclear energy may induce North Korea toward restraint.
A Grim Reality for Internet Freedom in Asia
By Allie Funk
The region is a driving force behind annual declines at the global level.
Neighborhood Watch: Will Asian Countries Turn a Blind Eye to Uyghur Issues in China?
By Sarah M. Brooks
Will any of China's neighbors speak out against its abuses at home? A major UN review offers a sobering assessment.
One China, Two Interpretations, and the Third Alternative for Taiwan
By Charles I-hsin Chen
The historic 2015 meeting between Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou made a third alternative, beyond unification or separation, more likely.
Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Crisis and the Right to Press Freedom
By Tasnim Nazeer
Journalists should not have to fear for their lives in reporting in the interest of the Sri Lankan public.