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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.
Will China Play an Active Role Amid US-Iran Tensions?
By Ankit Panda
Will China look to leverage its influence over tensions between the U.S. and Iran?
Before #MeToo, There Were the ‘Comfort Women’
By Esther Brito Ruiz
The survivors of Japanese sexual slavery started a pioneering human rights movement combating sexual abuse.
Women Emerging as Leaders in Fixing India’s Slums
By Bijal Brahmbhatt
The collective might of women must be harnessed as a powerful, necessary force for change.
India’s Domestic Troubles Are the Greatest Problem for Its Foreign Policy
By Manasi Pritam
The Narendra Modi government’s brutal approach to India’s domestic affairs has cast a long shadow on Indian diplomatic achievements built over decades.
How the Philippine Government Gets the Concept of ‘Intervention’ Wrong
By Gemmo Fernandez
Yes, international law proscribes interference in domestic affairs. But the human rights criticisms of the Duterte administration don’t rise to that level.
USMC’s Futenma Replacement Facility in Okinawa Delayed – For How Long?
By C. Douglas Lummis
Yet more delays for the controversial facility as local opposition continues unabated.
The Morrison Government’s Spin Addiction
By Henry Storey
From climate change to international relations, Australia’s prime minister seems to value optics over substance.
Is US Congress Making Life Harder for Hong Kong Protesters in 2020?
By Richard Hanania
Sympathy for Hong Kong's young protesters is understandable, but trying to use economic sanctions to force change will backfire.
Don’t Close the US-Funded American University of Afghanistan
By Ahmadullah Azadani
Washington’s commitment to supporting the institution is vital for its students and all of Afghanistan.
(Dis)integrating Muslims, Dismantling India
By Muqtedar Khan
India, where Muslims have been at home for more than a millennium, is trying its hardest to alienate, disenfranchise, and disintegrate them.
What Australian Media Gets Wrong About China
By Yuan Jiang
In 2019, China’s image in Australian media outlets took a noticeable turn for the worse.
2019 Was a Dark Year for Civic Freedoms in Asia
By Josef Benedict
In Asia, 95 percent of people live in countries that violate political and democratic freedoms.