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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 Political Crisis Deepens in the Maldives: The Geopolitical Stakes for India and Its Options
By Ankit Panda
Indian policymakers will weigh the pros and cons of various measures in the coming days. Will New Delhi intervene?
North Korea Human Rights, 4 Years After the UN Inquiry
By Benedict Rogers
In the past decade, the people of North Korea have changed, but the nature of the regime certainly hasn’t.
US Allies Aren’t Buying Its New Strategies to Confront China
By Bates Gill
China presents many challenges, but bluff, bluster, and empty rhetoric will be seen for exactly what it is.
Is China Inflicting a 'Century of Humiliation' on the World?
By Ben Lowsen
China's questionable practices and laissez-faire attitude are buying it a reputation similar to the colonial powers that once tormented it.
What Groundhog Day Teaches Us About Nuclear Deterrence
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The movie Groundhog Day teaches an important insight about the fragile underpinning of nuclear deterrence theory.
China Moves Toward Accountability for Overseas Financing
By Natalie Bridgeman Fields
The implications for the billions of people touched by Chinese overseas investment are staggering.
The False Promise of South Korea’s Olympic Diplomacy
By Kim Young Ho
The outreach is based on a false idea of national unity rather than an appreciation of the realities the country faces.
The Strange and Sad Case of Gui Minhai
By Thomas E. Kellogg
Months after being released, Gui, a Swedish citizen, was abruptly arrested again.
The South China Sea and the Decline of US Influence
By Mark J. Valencia
The United States' ability to sway Southeast Asian states to its side is waning.
The Missing Piece in the World’s North Korea Strategy
By Neil Bhatiya
Pyongyang abuses the international financial system to fund its proliferation activities -- stopping this ought to be a priority.
The Trouble With Kissinger's North Korea Advice
By Joseph Bosco
Kissinger is moving the goal posts on where the final red line is on North Korean behavior.
The News China Didn’t Want Reported in 2017
By Sarah Cook
Leaked censorship directives hint at the regime’s priorities, but tighter controls have made them harder to obtain.