Asia's democracies: 'still a force to be reckoned with'?

Recent months have seen questions about the long-term prospects for democracy in Asia come into focus once again, the Atlantic Council’s Asia Security Initiative observes. While Southeast Asia has seen a trend toward authoritarianism in Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Myanmar, elections in Malaysia and Timor Leste deserve reflection and celebration for showing that democracy in the region is still a force to be reckoned with. Elsewhere, the 29th anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen Square protests brought renewed displays of democratic solidarity in Hong Kong and Taiwan that have underscored existing tensions with China’s government.

Are recent elections outliers or the start of democratic renewal in Southeast Asia? How can Hong Kong and Taiwan protect their democratic systems in the context of China’s rise? What challenges and opportunities do Asia’s democracies face in a changing security environment? Examining these questions from the perspectives of Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the region as a whole, the Atlantic Council will bring together a panel of experts as part of its Cross-Strait Seminar Series to discuss the future of democracy in Asia.