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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The 3rd I4D Café: How Can Technology Help Citizens to Hold Governments and Businesses Accountable?
In the third episode of Innovation for Democracy Café, Ms. Ya-wei Chou from FNF Global Innovation Hub discussed with two guest speakers about their experience in using technology to encourage citizens’ participation and collaboration on monitoring and examining governments and businesses: Mr. Thitiphong Luangaroonlerd, the CEO of Boonmee Lab in Thailand, and Ms. Peii Lai, Campaigner from Citizens of the Earth (CET) in Taiwan.
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China's Strategic Interests
Rising tensions among the great powers are contributing to uncertainty and the security dilemma in the Indo-Pacific region. This raises the question of possible policy alternatives amidst conflictual developments. The role of smaller powers within the region and extra-regional powers, such as European countries, offers the potential to cope with the growing rivalries. In particular, it is significant to examine the position and role of Indonesia, one of the most influential members of ASEAN. Cooperation within the region and with extra-regional powers is needed to ease tensions and guarantee sustainable cooperation.
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Malaysia-China Bilateral Relations
Small nations play a significant role in the regional security of the Indo-Pacific. They may act as mediators and provide a channel of communication for rival great powers. China has begun flexing its muscles and is demonstrating its strength. Malaysia maintains a balance and hedges to avoid being either entrapped or abandoned. By transforming its Armed Forces to a navy-based force and by balancing its relationships with stronger nations Malaysia may overcome its security dilemma and ensure territorial sovereignty without engaging in conflict.
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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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Democracy Board Game Festival – How Games Can Push for Strengthening Democracy
FNF Global Innovation Hub launched its first virtual Democracy Board Game Festival on August 15th, 2022, attracting around 300 people to the three-week exhibition on Gathertown. The exhibition features five board games: Sim Democracy by FNF Thailand Office, Migrant Worker Life by 1095 Culture Studio, Home Play by Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association, The Poll by Civic Games Lab and FNF India Office, and Open StarTer Village by Open Culture Foundation.
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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. In the new era of geopolitics, characterized by strategic rivalry between authoritarian states on the one hand and liberal democracies on the other, these are alarming signs. In order to prevail against authoritarian regimes, the liberal model of EU democratic societies must regain its attractiveness in the world.
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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"
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Business and Human Rights Training for Parliamentarians and Political Party Leaders
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the Asia Center held a two-day Business and Human Rights Training (BHR) in Bangkok, Thailand. This workshop aimed to bridge the gap between politicians and political parties in order to drive agendas for corporate sustainability in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
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Tackling the EU's dependency on raw materials from China
China has established itself as the main provider of numerous critical raw materials, the disruption of which, if used a political instrument to impose pressure in an age of increasing geopolitical divergence, could seriously endanger economic stability in Europe. This study investigates Europe’s options to diversify raw material sourcing and takes a close look at one of its major strategic resource autonomy projects: the circular economy.
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Thinking about Europe: Photography Competition
Europe is more than 8000 kilometers away from Thailand. Despite this, globalization has made us feel more interconnected than ever before. The influence of Europeans can be seen integrated through Thai culture, economy, society, politics and in our way of life. Thus, FNF and our partners invited interested parties to seek out what are the European traces in Thailand; and to reflect on the relationship between Europe and Thailand.
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HYBRID EVENT: Countering Threats from Russia and China.
On the 22th of November 2022, The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Global Innovation Hub hosted a hybrid event on “Countering Threats from Russia and China: The Role of Cyber Warfare in National Security Strategy.” This event aimed to raise awareness of think tanks, politicians, and civil society on cyberwarfare, and encourage more discussion on defense strategies in the face of disinformation.
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ASEAN Integration Report 2022
As part of the ASEAN Prosperity Initiative (API) for 2022, FNF and IDEAs are proud to present our ASEAN Integration Report 2022, consisting of a study that tracks and monitors the progress of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025 implementation among its member states since 2015.
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STOP: Crimes against Female Journalists
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Southeast and East Asia, Asia Center, Engage Media, and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy have collaborated to organize a hybrid event entitled “STOP: Crimes against Female Journalists” on November 2nd, the International Day to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists . The event featured international speakers from Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Cambodia.
