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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.
Taliban Leaders Get Medical Treatment Abroad While Afghan Women and Children Lack Basic Care
By Natalie Gonnella-Platts and Jessica Ludwig
Why are sanctioned Taliban leaders allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment while their policies push Afghanistan’s healthcare system to the edge of collapse?
A New Myanmar Needs a New (Crypto) Currency
By James Song and Maung Zarni
Despite a string of recent cryptocurrency scandals, the country's resistance forces have a lot to gain from pushing toward fintech's frontiers.
A Diplomatic Tightrope: Taiwan’s Stance on the Israel-Hamas War
By Philip Hou
Taiwan must stand up for Palestine, otherwise it may face the same fate as Gaza – and a potentially silent international community.
It’s Time for a New Approach to Peace and Reconciliation in Afghanistan
By Youssof Ghafoorzai
To change the status quo and place Afghanistan on a trajectory toward stability, the international community needs to take a new approach to dealing with the country.
The Slow, Insidious Attack on Freedom of Religion in Hong Kong
By Benedict Rogers
As Hong Kong’s basic freedoms have been dismantled, freedom of religion or belief – perhaps the last liberty still just about standing – is under ever-increasing threat.
Why the World Should Support Taiwan’s Participation in Interpol as an Observer
By Chou Yew-woei
Taiwan’s capacity to combat transnational crimes such as terrorism and human trafficking is severely hampered by its lack of access to real-time criminal intelligence shared through Interpol.
Cambodia’s Traumatized Generation
By Youk Chhang
They survived the Vietnam War and the Khmer Rouge genocide. They still bear the mental and physical scars – and so do their descendants.
Xinjiang vs Gaza: The West’s Shifting Definition of ‘Genocide’
By Juan Alberto Ruiz Casado
The Global North’s foreign policy has a glaring contradiction regarding China’s abuses in Xinjiang and Israel’s in Palestine.
Gaza, Asia, and the Crisis in Global Governance
By Dustin Barter
Like the ongoing violence in Myanmar, the flaring of the Israel-Palestine conflict has once again laid bare the failures of the current international order.
Jokowi’s Washington Visit Could Boost Bilateral Ties – or Highlight Problems
By Scot Marciel
President Joko Widodo and his team arrive in Washington at an uncertain time in U.S.-Indonesia relations.
An Open Letter to Cambodia’s Hun Manet About His PhD Thesis
By David Whitehouse
Despite repeated requests, Bristol University has refused to release the Cambodian leader's doctoral thesis in economics.
Calling for Climate Solutions: A Story of Solidarity Across the Asia Pacific
By Norly Mercado and Joseph Sikulu
From the Pacific Islands to Nepal, people are demanding stronger climate action as part of the Power Up month of action leading up to COP28.