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
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Germany's dependence on individual rare earth elements is increasing
Germany’s dependence on China for rare earths remains high and has even increased for certain elements, according to an analysis by the Taipei office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
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Resilience in Question: Indonesia’s Response to the Iran War
The war in Iran is putting pressure on Indonesian President Prabowo, who has gone to great lengths to accommodate Trump in recent months. His new foreign policy runs counter to Indonesia’s long-standing principle of non-alignment and is causing discontent within the country
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“Democracy is not in peril”
“The pessimistic view is that democracy is in regression, a worldwide setback,” Jose Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, noted in his special message to the “All About Democracy” Conference of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) in Manila, the Philippines. “My view is that these are temporary phenomena”, said President Horta, who became an Honorary Individual Member of CALD this year.
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FNF OSINT+ Investigation Competition 2026
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) is seeking cutting-edge open-source investigations that strengthen democratic transparency, enhance public oversight, and generate actionable, evidence-based insights on issues of public concern.
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Strategic Neutrality
India has traditionally enjoyed good relations with the US and with all countries in the Middle East, including Iran. This balancing act is becoming increasingly difficult.
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Iran War Highlights South Korea's Vulnerability
Hardly any other country is as dependent on fossil fuels from the Middle East as South Korea. That is now coming back to haunt it.
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Chinese Interests at Risk
Iran is an important partner for China in the Middle East. Despite the war, Beijing is trying to avoid political escalation with the US.
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Will ASEAN reform SOE Governance to align with OECD?
ASEAN economies are integrated in trade and investment, yet uneven in governance standards. As Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines are deepening ties with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), governance standards become an issue.
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ASEAN GOES BRICS
Indonesia has joined BRICS as a full member. Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have partner status. What drives ASEAN’s biggest countries towards BRICS?
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Myanmar’s Forgotten Democratic Revolution
Five years after Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup on Feb. 1, 2021, the country remains trapped in violence and political paralysis. What was once framed as a historic democratic uprising has largely faded from global attention, replaced by a quieter but more durable reality: the consolidation of a modern authoritarian state, sustained by authoritarian alliance, mostly by China, and western democracies’ indifference.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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“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?
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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.
