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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.
Taiwan’s Difficult-Yet-Viable Indigenous Submarine Project Needs Cross-Party Support
By Yawen Tsao
Han Kuo-yu’s controversial comments on the submarine project spark a backlash.
China’s Internet Freedom Hit a New Low in 2019, and the World Could Follow
By Sarah Cook and Mai Truong
No user or platform is safe from the leadership’s insatiable appetite for ideological conformity.
US Defense Secretary Esper’s Second Asia Trip Puts Alliances in Focus
By Ankit Panda
The U.S. secretary of defense contends with cost-sharing and other controversies.
The Indo-Pacific: A Survival Guide for ‘Hobbits’
By Natasha Fernando
Using Tolkien’s Middle Earth as a metaphor for the complexities of the region.
China Needs a New Ethos
By Amitai Etzioni
Consumerism has its limits.
Hong Kong: The New Berlin Wall
By Benedict Rogers
China is home to two “firewalls.” One must be demolished; the other protected.
Championing Tax Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific
By Sakshi Rai
What can the region do to better cooperate on tax issues?
US-China Competition Will Heat up the South China Sea
By Wu Shicun
The competition between major countries will be the biggest threat to stability in the region.
Securing South Asia Through Regional Economic Integration
By M. Ashraf Haidari
Afghanistan is pushing for the vision of SAARC to become reality at long last.
Taiwan at the Crossroads of History
By Chih-Wei Chen
Faced with China’s “sharp power,” it’s time to redefine the interaction model between Taiwan and international society.
An Attack on Artistic Freedom Highlights Pakistan’s Crackdown on Free Speech
By Binaifer Nowrojee
When an artist tried to highlight the harrowing human cost of police violence, her exhibit was shut down – one more voice silenced in Pakistan.
Will the 2019 APEC Summit Cancellation Complicate a ‘Phase One’ US-China Trade Deal?
By Ankit Panda
Is a “phase one” U.S.-China trade deal still viable after the cancellation of the APEC summit?