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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.
December 27, 2022
Countering China in Africa by Reaffirming US Tech Leadership
By Sam Howell
To effectively mitigate the influence of Huawei and other Chinese tech giants in Africa, the U.S. must position itself as a willing and reliable alternative partner.
December 24, 2022
One Woman’s Journey From Persecution in Myanmar to Sex Work in Thailand
By Shivaji Das and Yolanda Yu
"I don’t know about my future. How about you? Do you know your future?"
December 22, 2022
Canada Should Support Taiwan’s CPTPP Bid
By Adam Zivo
Not only do Canada and Taiwan’s values align, but also trade between the two countries is skyrocketing.
December 19, 2022
Indonesia’s Latest Tilt Toward Authoritarianism
By Rizal Ramli
With this month's passage of a revised criminal code, the country has taken another step back to the Suharto era.
December 15, 2022
China Should Invest in a Green Transition, Not the East African Crude Oil Pipeline
By Abigail Sunshine Nalule
Even while China chairs the U.N. biodiversity conference, its companies are damaging crucial ecosystems in Uganda.
December 15, 2022
The Answer to Countering Chinese Influence in Brazil? Sanitation Reform.
By Valeria Allende and Daniel Bonomo
The Amazon region’s water and sanitation infrastructure is critically underdeveloped. By working in this vital, often overlooked, area the U.S. can present itself as a stronger partner.
December 15, 2022
Cambodia’s Micro-credit Crisis Reveals the Bankruptcy of the State
By Sam Rainsy
Over the past decade, microfinance has been rolled out against a backdrop of a profoundly weak and corrupt state.
December 14, 2022
Don’t Force Europe to Choose Between the United States and China
By Carisa Nietsche
Coercive diplomacy comes at a cost: It threatens to inject friction and erode trust in the transatlantic relationship.
December 13, 2022
Europe and ASEAN Should Work Together on Myanmar Crisis
By John Sifton
Neither the EU nor ASEAN can deal with the crisis in Myanmar alone, but together they can make a difference.
December 13, 2022
ASEAN and the EU: Beyond the Summit, a Call for Action
By David McAllister and Daniel Caspary
As pioneering regional bodies in a disordered world, the Southeast Asian and European blocs have many areas of overlapping interest.
December 08, 2022
December 9 Is Uyghur Genocide Recognition Day
By Omer Kanat
One year on from a historic judgment on the Chinese government’s genocide, we cannot delay global action any longer.
December 02, 2022
US Policy Toward China Is Undermining Security for Communities in the Asia-Pacific
By Kate Alexander and Colleen Moore
Addressing collective challenges such as climate change will require abandoning militarized approaches for cooperation and diplomacy.