Asia
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) promotes democracy, human rights, economic freedom, and curbing climate change. In Asia, we have offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, New Delhi, Seoul, and Taipei. We also work in Malaysia. The FNF regional team works with the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, Collective of Applied Law and Legal Realism (CALR), a pro bono initiative by AmerBON Advocates, and the ASEAN Prosperity Initiative, which is part of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs. Should you have questions or suggestions about our work, please contact us. You can also meet our team here.
News
-
Future-Proofing ASEAN`s Investment Regulation
A new paper “Future-Proofing Investment Regulation Across ASEAN” - commissioned by the Asia Office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom - looks at Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines from 2019 to 2025. The study traces how these four countries are trying to manage rising geopolitical and security pressures without abandoning openness or unsettling investor confidence.
-
Divided We Fall: ASEAN’s Response to Trump’s Illiberal Trade Agenda
When President Trump’s "Liberation Day" trade policy hit Southeast Asia with tariffs reaching between 32 and 49%, the region’s economic foundation didn't just crack; it splintered. While ASEAN initially projected a rare image of defiance and solidarity, that unity lasted only weeks before the bloc’s two most export-dependent members, Vietnam and Cambodia, were first to break ranks to chase bilateral side deals with Washington.
-
Closure of the FNF Vietnam
As our office operations come to an end, we look back with pride and appreciation for all that we have achieved together, from impactful projects and meaningful partnerships to lasting friendships. We remain confident that the spirit of freedom and collaboration will continue to flourish in the years ahead.
-
AI for Democracy, More Digital Participation Best Practices from across the World, and More in the New Digital Participation Guide!
This year, People Powered collaborated with us again to update their Digital Participation Guide and Rating by adding a chapter on how AI can facilitate public participation, as well as including more case studies of best practice from around the world. Come and take a look!
-
Tech Radar Episode 2
Quantum technologies have been hailed for years as the key technology of the future. Europe has a strong scientific foundation in this field.
-
ASEAN Peoples Speak!
In 2025, ASEAN peoples demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in the face of rapid global change. Governments, communities, and regional institutions continued to invest in cooperation, innovation, and rights-based development, reinforcing a shared commitment to long-term stability and growth.
-
EU Free Trade Agreement modernises Vietnam
The European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which officially entered into force on August 1, 2020, represents much more than a traditional trade pact centered on tariff eliminations. As a "new-generation" agreement, it established a sophisticated and comprehensive framework for cooperation, encompassing trade in goods and services, investment protections, intellectual property rights, and a pioneering commitment to sustainable development and labor standards. Now reaching its five-year milestone, the EVFTA has proven to be a transformative catalyst for Vietnam’s economy, driving record-breaking trade volumes, attracting high-quality foreign investment, and, perhaps most importantly, serving as a powerful instrument for domestic institutional reform.
-
“These elections will not be free and fair”
Myanmar has been under military rule since February 2021. Now the junta is organizing elections, which are widely criticized by international observers. A couple of weeks before the elections, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom interviewed two politicians in Yangon/ Myanmar. Both cherish democracy. One will stand as a candidate in the upcoming elections. They will bring a minimal platform for civilian politics, he believes. The other politician ran in past elections, but will not be a candidate this time. He has no trust in the process. Both remain anonymous, we call them NP and P. Why have they chosen starkly different paths?
-
China’s Repression on German Soil
China’s efforts to silence critics far beyond its borders have become a feature of its global reach. A new study commissioned by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom warns that Germany - home to one of Europe’s largest Chinese diaspora communities and a key target of Beijing’s influence – is encountering a range of tactics used to influence or deter critics. The study encourages Germany to consider strengthening its legal frameworks and to enhance coordination among relevant institutions.
-
Resolution on the West Philippine Sea
Members of Liberal International (LI) reaffirm their commitment to support the Republic of the Philippines in the protection of its national sovereignty, and declare the hostile and provocative operations of the PRC as detrimental to global peace, security and economic development.
-
Defending Democracy and the Global Order: A Resolution of Support for Taiwan’s Resilience and International Participation
As democratic nations and authoritarian states contend for technological dominance in the AI era, we recognize that this is a pivotal juncture in history for democratic life and values across the globe. This coming decade will determine whether democracy can reassert itself as a guiding model of governance, or whether authoritarian systems will set the new world order.
-
“Freedom is borderless”
During her visits to the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, Oleksandra Matviichuk, the Ukrainian human rights lawyer and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, delivered a message she believes lies at the heart of her country’s resistance to Russia’s invasion: freedom, she said, belongs to no single nation.
-
"Democracy advocates must stand together"
Tsai Ing-wen, former President of Taiwan, visited the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) in Berlin. She called for stronger cooperation among democracies as tensions with China remain high.
-
New FNF Study: Partnership between Russia and North Korea
North Korea is providing massive support to Russia in its war of aggression. However, according to a new study by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Moscow's rewards have been minimal so far. The regime in Pyongyang is benefiting primarily in political terms.
-
Thailand has a new prime minister – but not for long
After the ousting of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, parliament has chosen her successor: Anutin Charnvirakul from the conservative Bhumjaithai Party. To secure his election, he had to accept the conditions of the progressive People’s Party – which is pushing for new elections within just a few months. The key questions and answers about the latest political twist in the kingdom.
Focus
Our Regional Team
Most popular
-
Divided We Fall: ASEAN’s Response to Trump’s Illiberal Trade Agenda
Southeast Asia -
The price of the ballot and the politics of power
Uganda Election -
Morocco’s place in a fractured global order: Transatlantic tensions, NATO’s future, and the new geopolitical reality
Global Positioning -
Cycling is a powerful expression of freedom – Winde
Freedom