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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.
A String of Fake Pearls? The Question of Chinese Port Access in the Indian Ocean
By Natalie Klein
Chinese control of ports in other states – even those Beijing “owns” – will always remain limited.
Amid US-China Tension, Beijing’s Propaganda Machine Kicks Into Overdrive
By Sarah Cook
The regime’s recent media interventions may have unintended consequences.
How Can Asia Unleash the Potential of Youth?
By Pauline Tamesis
Asian countries like Cambodia need young people's help to create a sustainable future.
Taiwan Is Retaking the Initiative With Its New Southbound Policy
By Alan Hao Yang and Jeremy Chiang
Forget Beijing: Taiwan is rolling out its “warm power” to win friends across Southeast and South Asia.
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.
US 'Left of Launch' Cyber Efforts Might Increase Korean Peninsula Nuclear Dangers
By Ankit Panda
U.S. offensive cyber capabilities might prove destabilizing with North Korea.
India's #MeToo Movement Underlines Why Survivors Must Be Believed
By Vida Zonunmawii
There are more reasons to believe survivors than there are to dismiss claims of sexual harassment and assaults
How China Can Help Save Papua New Guinea’s Forests
By Gary Juffa
An MP calls for China to stop importing illegal timber from Papua New Guinea.
Can Asia (and the UN) Hold Corporations Accountable?
By Friends of the Earth Asia Pacific
Corporations across Asia are often implicated in human rights abuses. It’s time to hold them to account.
Will the West’s Imperialist Past Be China’s Future?
By Jin Kai
It's unfair to evaluate China's past -- and it's future -- through a lens dominated by European thinking.
China’s Cultural Genocide and the Conscience of Nations
By Ben Lowsen
As China does its worst, the world must uphold the best.
China's Diplomacy Has a Monster in its Closet
By Ben Lowsen
Ultra-nationalism is damaging China’s credibility as its ambassadors indulge in curious, chauvinistic and all-too-official tirades.