According to the most recent State of Southeast Asia Survey Report released by the Center for ASEAN Studies on the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, almost 60% of respondents see China as a very powerful economic force.
However, this is way lower than the proportion of 76.7%. in 2022, and the decline occurred after China introduced strict mobility restrictions related to Covid-19.
Despite a decline from 54.4 percent last yr, China continues to be perceived as a very powerful political and strategic power in the realm (41.5%).
However, in response to a report published on February 9, most individuals who consider China probably the most influential country within the region expressed concern about its growing influence. This signifies that China’s growing influence “will not be well received within the region.” , According to the report.
However, during the last two years, the extent of caution has dropped from 86.5 percent. in 2021 and 76.4 percent in 2022 to 68.5 percent
The survey results showed that Cambodia (47.4%), followed by Brunei (94.4%), had the very best acceptance of Chinese influence.
However, if ASEAN were forced to make a choice from China and the United States as its two superpowers, two-thirds of respondents, or 61 percent, would side with the United States, in response to the report.
China’s popularity as an option dropped from 43% last yr to 38% in 2023, while support within the U.S. increased after rising from 57% to 38%.
Most respondents from Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia preferred China to the United States, although this was not accurate for all 10 ASEAN countries. Among other countries, the very best level of support for the United States over China was achieved by the Philippines and Vietnam, which also supported the United States.
Respondents from Vietnam expressed this opinion most strongly (93.4%), followed by respondents from Singapore (89.9%).
Seventy-three percent of respondents also feared that ASEAN was turning right into a battleground in superpower competition, where its members could act as agents of the superpowers. Sixty-one percent (60.7%) of respondents expressed concern concerning the division of ASEAN.
According to the report, this may occasionally be related to several issues which have put ASEAN’s unity to the test. ASEAN countries have adopted different positions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and there was no coordinated response to the crisis in Myanmar triggered by a coup in 2021.
Source: ChannelNewsAsia.com
