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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.
Thailand’s New Government is Failing the LGBTQ Community
By Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn
Despite vowing respect for human rights at the U.N. General Assembly, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been largely silent on the issue of marriage equality.
Antisemitism Exists in China, Too
By Ross Darrell Feingold
Antisemitic slurs are all too common in China – and much of the Indo-Pacific region.
Is There Any Southeast Asian Autocrat That the US Won’t Do Business With?
By David Hutt
Hypocrisy is an inevitable part of power politics. But there are limits to how far a nation like the U.S. should compromise.
Fostering Global Collaboration Amid Volatile Geopolitics and Technology Bans
By Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa and Dingding Chen
No country can go it alone in today's interconnected world. Here's a potential path back to global cooperation to facilitate the sharing of technological advancements and the assurance of collective security.
The US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Is Not All About China
By Nguyen Hung Son
The upgrade in ties was consistent with Hanoi's longstanding goal of building a network of relationships with the region and the world.
President Biden Should Not Overlook Vietnam’s Rights Crisis
By Carolyn Nash
Progress on shared objectives like climate mitigation will be impossible without measures to address the human rights failures of both Vietnam and the U.S.
Betrayal of China’s Muslims Undermines the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Credibility
By Aaron Rhodes and Marco Respinti
The OIC continues to actively praise China’s policies in Xinjiang and “care” for Muslim citizens, despite overwhelming evidence of massive abuses.
Worsening Press Freedom Undermines G20 Host India’s Credibility
By Beh Lih Yi
India must ensure media freedom if it wants to live up to its reputation as the world’s largest democracy alongside being a global economic powerhouse.
Vietnam’s Time to Choose
By Duy Hoang
Hanoi's impending upgrade in relations with Washington is the right move. It needs to follow up by ensuring basic freedoms for its people.
New Uzbekistan’s Reform Agenda: A Catalyst for Stronger US Bilateral Relations
By Ambassador Furqat Sidikov
Uzbekistan is a bedrock U.S. partner in a dynamic region.
G20 Summit: India’s Authoritarianism Strangles Solutions to Global Challenges
By Avinash Kumar and Alena Kahle
Rather than setting an agenda that would put forward the voices of the Global South and the world’s most marginalized, India has used its G-20 presidency for cynically domestic political purposes.
Coal Companies and the Media Need to Wake up and Smell the Smoke
By Antony Balmain
Record profits for coal companies shouldn’t be reported on without the necessary climate context.