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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.
France, the Vatican, and the Pan-Asian Sexual Abuse Scandals of MEP Missionaries
By Michel Chambon
Both French authorities and the Vatican seem reluctant to act on accusations of sexual abuse by French priests in Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and more.
Myanmar’s Diaspora in South Korea Fights for Democracy Back Home
By Sinmyung Park
Myanmar nationals are collaborating with each other and their Korean supporters in support of the country’s anti-coup resistance.
US Sanctions and Rallying Around the Flag in North Korea and Cambodia
By David Whitehouse
Critics of economic sanctions claim that they help authoritarian governments consolidate their power, but this is based on a reductive view of statehood.
10 Years After the UN Report: The International Community’s Role in Improving Human Rights in North Korea
By Ilhyeok Kim
The Commission of Inquiry Report on North Korea shocked the world with revelations of horrific abuses. It's time to take stock of what progress has been achieved since then.
Nepal’s Trans Rights Reputation Needs to be Matched With Real Policy
By Rukshana Kapali
The country's LGBTIQ+ rights record is much more complicated than initially meets the eye – but we are slowly moving in the right direction.
A New Era is Dawning For the People of Myanmar’s Rakhine State
By Kyaw Hsan Hlaing
After years of conflict and ethnic cleansing, recent military gains by the Arakan Army have opened up fresh possibilities for the region's future.
Beneath the DPP’s Victory, the KMT’s Youth Movement Is on the Rise
By Howard Shen
The KMT has long been a Taiwanese political synonym for gerontocracy, but now its youth movement finally appears to be coming to fruition.
The Collateral Damage of the Hun Manet Charm Offensive
By Arthur Eremita
Who stands to lose the most as the world welcomes the next generation of Cambodian kleptocrats?
Cambodia Needs a Genocide Museum
By Michael G. Karnavas
Establishing the Sleuk Rith Institute would meet this need, and more.
An Early Warning Missed: The Uyghur Genocide and the 27th Anniversary of the Ghulja Massacre
By Omer Kanat
Accountability, justice, and remediation for the massacre have long eluded the victims. Uyghurs have wrestled with a difficult question: Why didn’t the world react?
How Indonesia Can Win the Global Race on Critical Minerals
By Brurce Mecca and Azhania N. Siswadi
The country has taken the first steps, but needs a more comprehensive strategy for capitalizing on its abundant natural resource endowment.
To Prevent an AI Apocalypse, the World Needs to Work With China
By Jason Zhou, Kwan Yee Ng , and Brian Tse
China has the desire, foundation, and expertise to work with the global society on mitigating catastrophic risks from advanced AI.