A regional poll shows that most Southeast Asians would align themselves with China over the United States if forced to choose sides. But some countries that feel threatened by Beijing over its claims to the South China Sea still prefer Washington.
Beijing has overtaken Washington for the first time since 2020, when the annual survey first asked the question. Preference for the U.S. fell from 61.1% last year to 49.5%.
The survey was conducted by Singapore-based think tank ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute between January 3 and February 23 with 1,994 respondents from academia, business, government, civil society and media.
The study showed that China, with a share of more than 50%, has become the most strategically important partner for ASEAN, surpassing the US, while Japan remains the most reliable major power in the region.
However, it is said half of the respondents also expressed distrust of China, and 45.5% said they feared Beijing would use its economic and military power to threaten their country’s interests and sovereignty.
The poll found that the U.S. still holds majority support among respondents in the Philippines (83.3%) and Vietnam (79%), who tend to support the U.S. over China.
ASEAN should strengthen its resilience and unity to resist pressure from the two major powers, the US and China, claimed nearly half of survey respondents.
“This year’s survey results clearly reflect heightened regional concerns over economic issues and the risk that unrestrained geopolitical rivalry that can adversely affect the region’s interests in the short to medium term,” Choi Shing Kwok, director and CEO at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute said in a statement.
“At the same time, the results also tell us that the region remains hopeful that major powers can cooperate on issues of mutual benefit and welcomes other major powers in the region to engage more closely with ASEAN.”
