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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.
Why the UN Deal With Myanmar Ignores Rohingya Realities
By Tun Khin
Conditions are nowhere near ready for Rohingya to return in safety and dignity.
China’s New Missiles in the Spratlys May be a Turning Point
By Steven Stashwick
There is no longer any reason for China to acknowledge the diplomatic fig leaf of Xi Jinping’s “militarization” assurance.
Kim Jong Un Grabs the Headlines At Home, But What Did Trump Get From the Historic Summit?
By Ankit Panda
The summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un was historic, but far from the "epochal" event claimed by both leaders.
The Singapore Summit's Failure on North Korean Human Rights
By John Sifton
Romancing Kim in Singapore won't denuclearize North Korea or improve its human rights record.
North Korea Must Come Clean About Its Dirty Money
By Neil Bhatiya and Elizabeth Rosenberg
For the goal of complete North Korean denuclearization to be successful, it must have a financial component.
Kim Jong-un's Night Out in Singapore: A Selfie and a Skyline
By Ankit Panda
Why did Kim Jong-un feel it necessary to tour Singapore by night?
Dear President Trump: Don’t Underestimate Kim Jong-Un
By Jenna Gibson
Popular portrayals of Kim as a willful child are misleading -- and dangerous.
The Decline and Attempted Revival of China’s Economic Exceptionalism
By Dinny McMahon
Can a new generation of Chinese leaders resurrect the magic of China’s economic exceptionalism?
With North Korea, Let’s Not Forget the Big Picture
By Gi-Wook Shin and Joyce Lee
Beyond denuclearization, making North Korea a 'normal state' should be the end goal.
America’s Wars and the Current Accountability Crisis
By Sarah E. Kreps
U.S. leaders have studiously avoided being seen engaging in “war.” This is increasingly becoming a problem for democracy itself.
Singapore: A Last Chance to Reunite Divided Korean-American Families
By Paul Kyumin Lee
The Singapore summit is an opportunity to make reunions between Americans and their families in North Korea a reality.
How Afghanistan's Next Elections Can Succeed
By Rafi Fazil
Afghanistan's next elections can set up the bedrock for sustainable democratic institutions in the country.