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 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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Make it Happen: Human Rights at a Local Level
Human rights city is a concept for promoting human rights at the level of local government worldwide. Read how human rights city initiatives have been adopted in the context of Thailand—and what makes for an effective approach—in this paper by Dr. Chayanit Poonyarat from the Peace Information Center, Thammasat University.
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Liberals in the 2025 Midterm Elections and Beyond
Parliamentary elections were held in the Philippines on May 12. These midterm elections, in which the winners take office midway through President Marcos' term, will elect all 317 seats in the House of Representatives and 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate to form the 20th Philippine Congress. Local elections for the executive and legislative branches were also held in all municipalities, cities and provinces across the country. As in Canada and Australia, the elections showed that liberalism is neither dead nor obsolete. Liberal forces are needed and wanted. There is no other explanation for the surprising election result, especially with regard to the Senate elections.
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China Expands in the Yellow Sea
The People’s Republic of China is building massive steel structures in disputed waters off South Korea’s coast. This move could signal even more aggressive behavior—similar to China’s actions in the South China Sea.
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How Trump's Tariff Threatens Vietnam’s Economy
Global trade has entered one of its most turbulent chapters in decades. President Trump’s sweeping tariff order not only disrupts traditional trade flows, it also signals a deeper shift toward unilateralism and protectionism. While countries like Vietnam will face severe economic consequences, China sees an opportunity to reassert its economic and geopolitical influence.
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BTS Fans Criticized Chinese Nationalism
Young fans have questioned authoritarian narratives and openly discussed issues like freedom of expression, according to a recent analysis by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
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Violence in Myanmar: women targeted by the military and resistance groups
Women in Myanmar have been exposed to massive violence since the military coup in 2021. A new study shows the dramatic consequences and calls for better access to justice.
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Business & Human Rights: Measures for the Global South
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights call for a “smart mix of measures — national and international, mandatory and voluntary — to foster business respect for human rights”. This was also the theme of the 13th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva.