Southeast and East Asia
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) promotes democracy, human rights, economic freedom, and curbing climate change. In Southeast and East Asia, we have offices in Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Manila, Seoul, Taipei, and Yangon. 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, the Asia Centre, 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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Our New Global Innovation Hub in Taipei
On March 21, 2023, the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom (FNF) inaugurated its "Global Innovation Hub" with a reception in Taipei. Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Germany’s Minister of Education and Research, was the guest of honour and opened the new Global Innovation Hub as a member FNF´s Board of Trustees. She was in Taiwan in her capacity as a Minister.
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Thinking about Taiwan
In a global comparison, Taiwan is one of the top countries in the freedom ranking: The island has a free press, a freely debating parliament and the rule of law prevails. But it is precisely these democratic qualities that put the country under strong pressure. Xi Jinping, for example, has sharpened his rhetoric towards Taiwan in recent years, so the possible prospect of an attempted occupation is not so far-fetched. What matters now is that Taiwan develops an intelligent and successful defence strategy to fend off a possible Chinese attack.
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Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation opens new "Global Innovation Hub" in Taipei
On March 21st, 2023, in the presence of with Germany´s Research-Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger, the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom opened its new „Global Innovation Hub“ in Taipei, Taiwan. The "Global Innovation Hub" will coordinate the foundation´s activities related to innovation and digitalization around the world. The "Global Innovation Hub" used to be in Hong Kong until 2020, when it was decided to close the office there due to the "National Security Law".
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EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)
This paper analyzes typical features of the "new generation" FTA as they are concretized in the EVFTA. It then identifies the unprecedented opportunities that these “new-generation” commitments promise to bring to Vietnam and evaluates the costs that Vietnam has to pay for such a promising future. It seems that all these potential impacts from the EVFTA are indispensable for Vietnam to move forward in a changing world.
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Does AI make it more fair for workers?
Some companies are already replacing workers with ChatGPT, saying they saved money using the AI tool. The ChatGPT’s booming is making people question whether tech innovation is promoting the gig economy. Ms. Ngọc Le – Project Management & Economic Researcher at Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) shared her thoughts.
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International Women's Day 2023
Here at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation we want to see a world where differences are valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.
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'One Year of Ukrainian War: What Does it Mean for Global Security and Southeast Asia?' - FNF Indonesia Alumni Gathering 2023
On February 10, 2023, FNF Indonesia held our annual alumni gathering in our office. Following the major subject of FNF Global #ReshapeEurope this year, we asked Prof. Olexiy Haran from the University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy (UKMA) in Kyiv, Ukraine, to speak about the war in Ukraine through the perspective of a Ukrainian and a Ukrainian scholar. We think that the event titled 'One Year of Ukrainian War: What Does it Mean for Global Security and Southeast Asia?' will help us comprehend how the war impacts global security, particularly in Southeast Asia.
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Anwar Ibrahim’s first 100 days in office
Germany´s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits Malaysia. He will meet Anwar Ibrahim, the new Prime Minister. Mr. Anwar leads a broad coalition, which includes previous arch-rivals. He spent 25 years in opposition, ten of them in jail due to politically moticated convictions. As Prime Minister, Mr. Anwar has to strike a delicate balance to secure his and his government’s positions. Tricia Yeoh, CEO of Malaysia´s Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, analyses Anwar Ibrahim´s first 100 days in office.
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Long Take Politics and Elections:
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom along with our partners King Prajadhipok’s Institute, Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University, and Sanya Dharmasakti Institute for Democracy has organized a three part series to discuss the usage of political misinformation, innovation and technologies as tools for political campaigns, and finally an analysis on the current political landscape of Thailand.
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CBDC in Vietnam
This policy paper analyzes developments of digital currency and makes recommendations for the design of a Vietnamese CBDC.
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The New West
The value-based Western model – which combines open societies, free markets, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights – has experienced multiple crises since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. None, however, compares to today’s challenge to this “Western model of democracy”
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Secret Charm
The paper features case studies on China’s influence in eight countries or territories in Southeast Europe, conducted by local experts. The authors assess China’s investments, its image and the appeal of its governance model in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.
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Global Europe – Global Expectations
Today, we are experiencing that the European Union and its model of democratic societies are losing their worldwide popularity. The growing global influence of actors with values, political systems, and worldviews that are diametrically opposing to those of the EU, as well as the renaissance of geopolitical blocs (as evidenced by the abstention of some states in the UN in condemning Russia's war of aggression), further reinforce this trend.
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FNF-Interview zum EU-ASEAN-Gipfel
Am 14. Dezember 2022 sprach Moritz Kleine-Brockhoff, FNF-Regionaldirektor für Südost- und Ostasien, im Nachrichtensender MDR AKTUELL über "Warum ist der EU-ASEAN-Gipfel ein historisches Ereignis?". Hören Sie es jetzt.
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Business and Human Rights in Southeast Asia
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom has supported our partner at Asia Center with the publication: "Business and Human Rights in Southeast Asia Developing National Action Plans 2021"
