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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.
US INF Withdrawal: Weighing the Costs in Europe and the Benefits in Asia
By Ankit Panda
Yes, withdrawing from the INF Treaty opens up options in Asia, but are they worth it?
Sri Lanka's Constitutional Crisis: Rajapaksa's Dark Past Shapes the Present
By Taylor Dibbert
The island nation’s democracy is in big trouble.
The Dangerous Naivety of ICAN
By Yukari Easton
Should Japan sign the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which ICAN champions?
The New US Hard Line Toward China Is Worrying Southeast Asia
By Mark J. Valencia
As U.S. policy toward China becomes more confrontational, its soft power in Asia is waning.
Thucydides and US Politics Revisited
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The Greek historian’s lessons for contemporary politics are not as straightforward as some commentators suggest.
The Dalai Lama and China’s Quest for Buddhist Soft Power
By Rinzin Dorjee
China is trying to woo Buddhists around the world to support the Belt and Road -- and, eventually, a CCP-approved Dalai Lama.
Sri Lanka, the Indian Ocean, and the New Era of Great Power Competition
By Asanga Abeyagoonasekera
How will Sri Lanka manage a new era in the Indian Ocean?
Me and #MeToo: A Story From New Delhi's Jawaharlal University in the Early 2000s
By Parul Abrol
Until #MeToo, few women in India had spoken out about harassment. I did and here's my story.
Facebook’s Myanmar Troubles
By Luke Hunt
Scrutiny of the company’s alleged role in genocide in Myanmar has raised broader questions about social media in Southeast Asia.
ASEAN’s Digital Transformation Starts With Tomorrow’s Data Talents
By Marcus Loh
Singapore’s experience might offer useful lessons for fellow ASEAN members as the region transforms into a digital economy.
Myanmar’s ‘Genocidal Acts’ Demand UN Action
By John Sifton
The UN was founded 73 years ago in large part to address mass atrocities like those committed against the Rohingya.
Why Continued Indian Engagement With Iran Is in America’s Interest
By Zoe Leung and Hari Prasad
U.S. criticism of India's close relationship with Iran is shortsighted.