Blog
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.
Joining the Quad: Fear Versus Greed
By Mark J. Valencia
The United States may not like the result of forcing countries to make a choice between it and China.
Can Asia Escape the Malthusian Trap?
By David Vallance
The region’s governments need to think seriously about developmental and demographic issues as part of their grand strategies.
With the Liberal West in Decline, Will China Be Given Free Rein?
By Andreas B. Forsby
A leaderless liberal West seems increasingly willing to defer to China, even if it compromises liberal values at home.
Is the US Foreign Policy Establishment a Dead Man Walking?
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Will backers of the 2003 invasion of Iraq suffer the same fate as supporters of doomed appeasement policies in France and Great Britain in the 1930s?
China’s Stealthy Holiday Crackdowns
By Sarah Cook
Dissident convictions and acts of censorship seem timed to avoid lumps of coal from international observers.
Does Xi Jinping Thought Really Matter?
By Zoe Jordan
The move to codify Xi Jinping thought may not be as important as analysts have been suggesting.
Time To Shelve The 1992 Consensus
By Shining Tan
The mainland should go beyond its carrot-and-stick strategy and seek a new consensus with Taiwan.
North Korea's Nuclear Threat Reaches New Heights, But US Policy Remains Unchanged
By Ankit Panda
The introduction of the Hwasong-15 probably will do little to cause the United States to change its policy course.
Ghani’s Revealing Slip of The Tongue
By Metra Mehran
The Afghan president accidentally makes a sexist comment, revealing the depths of gender inequality in Afghanistan.
Why North Korea Sanctions are Failing in Africa
By Merve Demirel
The region's experience offers a cautionary tale about the limits of the tool.
Did Canada's Trudeau Really Fail in His Trip to China?
By Charlotte Gao
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been mocked for failing to move forward a free trade deal with China.
Sri Lanka Doesn’t Need More American Bear Hugs
By Taylor Dibbert
Washington’s current approach actually discourages reform.