What Southeast Asia Thinks About China & the U.S.

This chart visualizes the results of a 2024 survey conducted by the ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. Nearly 2,000 respondents were asked if they were worried or welcoming of rising Chinese and American geopolitical influence in their country.

The countries surveyed all belong to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a political and economic union of 10 states in Southeast Asia.

Feelings Towards China

On average, a significant share of respondents from all 10 countries are worried about rising influence from both the U.S. and China.

However, overall skepticism is higher for China, at 74% (versus 59% for U.S.).

Country	Worried About Growing  Influence	Welcome Growing  Influence
Brunei	58%	42%
Cambodia	66%	34%
Indonesia	57%	43%
Laos	68%	32%
Malaysia	56%	44%
Myanmar	95%	5%
Philippines	81%	19%
Singapore	74%	26%
Thailand	84%	16%
Vietnam	96%	4%
Average	74%	27%

The recently-cooled but still active territorial concerns over the South China Sea may play a significant role in these responses, especially in countries which are also claimants over the sea.

For example, in Vietnam over 95% of respondents said they were worried about China’s growing influence.

Feelings Towards America

Conversely, rising American influence is welcomed in two countries with competing claims in the South China Sea, the Philippines (69%) and Vietnam (55%).

Country	Worried About Growing  Influence	Welcome Growing  Influence
Brunei	73%	27%
Cambodia	58%	42%
Indonesia	73%	27%
Laos	79%	21%
Malaysia	68%	32%
Myanmar	45%	55%
Philippines	32%	69%
Singapore	37%	63%
Thailand	80%	20%
Vietnam	45%	55%
Average	59%	41%

Despite this, on a regional average, more respondents worry about growing American influence (59%) than they welcome it (41%).

Interestingly, it seems almost every ASEAN nation has a clear preference for one superpower over the other.

The only exception is Thailand, where those surveyed were not a fan of either option, with 84% worried about China, and 80% worried about the U.S.

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