Alliance for Vietnam’s Democracy: Asia GDC Forum: Navigating Democracy’s Challenges and Opportunities
The Asia GDC Forum, which took place in Seoul, Republic of Korea at the East Asia Institute, both in person and streamed live, epitomized the commitment to democratic values in Asia. Organized by the Alliance for Vietnam’s Democracy and in collaboration with the Global Democracy Coalition, this forum was a lead-up to the Summit for Democracy in South Korea. It provided a dedicated platform for Asian voices to engage in dialogue and exchange perspectives on democracy. Participants discussed regional perspectives on democracy, and explored opportunities, challenges, and future directions for democratic governance in Asia. The forum facilitated discussions among Asian democracy organizations, policymakers, and advocates while also examining the broader global context.
The first panel was ASIA’S DEMOCRATIC LANDSCAPES: NAVIGATING CHALLENGES AND EMBRACING OPPORTUNITIES. The panelists included: Vanna Hay, Director of Khmer Movement for Democracy (Cambodia), Dr. Celito Arlegue, Executive Director of Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (Philippines), Dr. Elise Pham, Representative of Vietnamese Nationalist Party (Vietnam), and Leena Rikkilä Tamang. Director for the Asia and the Pacific, International IDEA (Australia). The other panelist, Wen Lii, Director of International Affairs of the Democratic Progressive Party (Taiwan) was not able to attend but sent his remarks via video.
The panelists discussed challenges for democracy in Asia, which included corruption, authoritarianism, economic inequality, and ethnic tensions, as well as the emergence of China as an authoritarian superpower, as stumbling blocks for the formation of regional democratic frameworks in Asia. Opportunities for democracy in Asia are also abundant with democratic innovations, presence of powerful democracies, democratic partnerships and the spread of liberal values.
The second panel was on NARRATIVES AND STRATEGIES FOR DEMOCRACY IN ASIA. The panelists included: Mu Sochua, Vice President of Cambodian National Rescue Party (Cambodia), Iain Walker, Executive Director of newDemocracy Foundation (Australia), Dr. James Gomez, Regional Director of Asia Center (Thailand), Dr. Seonhee Kim, Senior Researcher at East Asia Institute (South Korea), and Maj Gen Anil Verma (Retd), Head of Association for Democratic Reforms (India).
The democracy narrative argues that the resilience of global democracies is not a “Western” project. The center of gravity in this burgeoning systems competition between democracy and authoritarianism may be the Indo-Pacific region. These narratives highlight the complexity of democratic governance in Asia and the various approaches to promoting and sustaining it. They underscore the need for a complex understanding of the region’s political dynamics. The panel discussed strategies for democracy in Asia which included promoting democratic resilience, multilateral cooperation, formation of civil society networks and grassroots initiatives.
The Asia GDC Forum was a cornerstone event in the Asian democratic landscape and presented a positive outcome in the often-nuanced path of Asian democracies, marked by both progress and setbacks.