Thread: SE Asia Survey Shows Narrow Preference for United States amid US-China Rivalry

If ASEAN were forced to choose between China and the United States, a majority of respondents to a survey of residents of the Southeast Asian bloc would choose Uncle Sam, according to a Singaporean think-tank report published Thursday.


But the survey by the ASEAN Studies Center at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute also found significant support for China and “a trust deficit” toward the United States.


Of the survey’s 1,300 respondents, 53.6 percent said ASEAN should opt to align itself with the United States, were it forced to choose between the strategic rivals. Yet, “support for China cannot be under-estimated,” said the State of Southeast Asia: 2020 Survey Report.


“The majority of respondents from seven ASEAN member states choose to align their country with China: Laos (73.9%), Brunei (69.1%), Myanmar (61.5%), Malaysia (60.7%), Cambodia (57.7%), Thailand (52.1%), and Indonesia (52%),” the survey said.


“In comparison, strong support for alignment with the US is found in Vietnam (85.5%), the Philippines (82.5%) and Singapore (61.3%).”


Nearly half of the survey respondents said ASEAN nations should focus on unity to fend off pressure from Washington and Beijing, as the two superpowers square off in a strategic rivalry.


“ASEAN’s strategic conundrum is best summed up by the African proverb – ‘when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,’” the report said.



Most trusted: Japan


Questioned about the U.S.-China trade war, 63.9 percent of respondents said their country had been negatively impacted by it.


China’s economic influence is deeply felt but not well received in the region with 71.9 percent of survey respondents “worried about its growing regional economic influence,” the survey found.


Respondents chose China, 52.2 percent, as the most influential political-strategic player in the region – nearly double the U.S. figure of 26.7 percent. Only respondents in the Philippines picked the U.S. over China.


Moreover, “there is a strong trust deficit toward the U.S. since among the respondents who pick the U.S. as the most influential political and strategic power, only 52.7 percent welcome Washington in the region,” the report found.


As support for the U.S. fell, respondents said they looked to Japan as preferred strategic partner.


“Japan is the most trusted major power among Southeast Asians, with 61.2 percent of the respondents expressing confidence in Japan to ‘do the right thing,’ to provide global public goods,” the report found.



China took its own hit from respondents.


“Among those who view China as having the most political-strategic influence in Southeast Asia, 85.4 percent register their concern over this matter,” the think tank reported.


“Washington’s shrinking diplomatic clout and ambivalent interest in ASEAN and regional affairs are paving the way for China to expand its regional influence and carve out a sphere of influence in Southeast Asia,” the report stated.



Other concerns


Responding to questions on other topics, the respondents rated domestic political instability (70.5 percent) and economic downturn (66.8 percent) as the region’s most pressing security concerns while terrorism (44.6 percent) was last.


Nearly all respondents rated climate change as a concern with 52.7 percent calling it a serious threat and 44.1 percent calling it an important issue that deserves to be addressed. Less than 1 percent of respondents agreed with the assertion that there is no scientific basis for climate change.


The online survey conducted between mid-November and early December 2019, drew on “a specialized pool of respondents from five professional categories: research, business and finance, public sector, civil society, and the media.” A total of 1,308 people participated in the survey.


Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) is an autonomous research organization established by the parliament of the city-state in 1968. It was renamed the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in 2015.

SE Asia Survey Shows Narrow Preference for United States amid US-China Rivalry

Originally Posted by misskit

“The majority of respondents from seven ASEAN member states choose to align their country with China: , Brunei (69.1%), Malaysia (60.7%), and Indonesia (52%),” the survey said.

Interesting that China imprisons a million Muslims and clamps down on their faith . . . and is still supported by the majority of Muslims. Perhaps the US' role in obliterating Muslims/Arabs/the Middle East has a lot to do with it . . . rock and a hard place

Originally Posted by misskit

Of the survey’s 1,300 respondents, 53.6 percent said ASEAN s

Any from HK? That would surely make a huge change in the %...

HoHo will be feverishly scouring the interwebs for something to prove that SE Asia loves the chinkies more then the seppos.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Any from HK?

It states twice in the first two lines; SE Asia and ASEAN

Originally Posted by misskit

SE Asia Survey Shows Narrow Preference for United States amid US-China Rivalry
If ASEAN...

We know that writing in English is your handicap, but your comprehension and reading 'skills' also leave you wanting

Originally Posted by panama hat

We know that writing in English is your handicap, but your comprehension and reading 'skills' also leave you wanting

YAWN...

Originally Posted by Klondyke

YAWN...

Sorry to bore you, perhaps if you'd paid attention at school . . . let's try again:

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Any from HK?

It states twice in the first two lines; SE Asia and ASEAN

Originally Posted by misskit

SE Asia Survey Shows Narrow Preference for United States amid US-China Rivalry
If ASEAN...

Originally Posted by panama hat

It states twice in the first two lines; SE Asia and ASEAN

Don't knock it. Sounds like Klondyke has finally joined a primary school english class.

Doesn't that headline seem a bit starry eyed? I mean-

Vietnam, Fil's & Sing align with the US.
Laos, Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia align with China.

That is quite sobering really, particularly compared to a theoretical result if the Poll were held 50 years ago.

Originally Posted by sabang

Doesn't that headline seem a bit starry eyed? I mean-

Vietnam, Fil's & Sing align with the US.
Laos, Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia align with China.

That is quite sobering really, particularly compared to a theoretical result if the Poll were held 50 years ago.

Maybe the people of those countries are aware how the corrupt relationships between their "leaders" and the chinkies are having a destructive effect on the quality of their lives.

Poisoned plantations, the Mekong being destroyed, towns like Sihanoukville being taken out of their hands, land being stolen for industrial projects, etc. etc. etc. etc.

Originally Posted by panama hat

Interesting that China imprisons a million Muslims and clamps down on their faith . . . and is still supported by the majority of Muslims. Perhaps the US' role in obliterating Muslims/Arabs/the Middle East has a lot to do with it . . . rock and a hard place

Seems as Islam is the favoured invented boogieman by the respected super powers.
Birds of a feather.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Don't knock it. Sounds like Klondyke has finally joined a primary school english class.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Any from HK? That would surely make a huge change in the %...

I might take some more lessons in English (anybody volunteers?) but there are some who need to take a primary schooling of joke understanding (I doubt it can be taught)... What was the OP topic?

to choose between China and the United States,

That's great, the US already has an oversupply of under-educated, unskilled and dependent on public assistance immigrants/citizens. We'll share the load with China. Oh, the Chinese are visiting the US by the thousand and paying up to $70,000 to Chinese birthing houses to get US Citizenship for their offspring! Bet the US tax payer is footing the birth hospital expenses.

Originally Posted by CalEden

That's great, the US already has an oversupply of under-educated, unskilled and dependent on public assistance immigrants/citizens. We'll share the load with China. Oh, the Chinese are visiting the US by the thousand and paying up to $70,000 to Chinese birthing houses to get US Citizenship for their offspring! Bet the US tax payer is footing the birth hospital expenses.

Can't blame them for wanting to get out of that repressive shithole, can you?

^and to enjoy one of the best medicare...

Originally Posted by Klondyke

^and to enjoy one of the best medicare...

Aside from you not knowing what medicare is would you rather live in the US or In China? Seriously question as I see a few people hailing China and Russia yet still preferring the satanic west

Originally Posted by panama hat

Aside from you not knowing what medicare is would you rather live in the US or In China? Seriously question as I see a few people hailing China and Russia yet still preferring the satanic west

Hang on while he asks HoHo.

Originally Posted by panama hat

Aside from you not knowing what medicare is would you rather live in the US or In China? Seriously question as I see a few people hailing China and Russia yet still preferring the satanic west

Serious question coming - or it is not a question but an answer: why so many people from the "satanic west" still preferring to live in a country of "stupid Somchais"?

Originally Posted by panama hat

I see a few people hailing China and Russia yet still preferring the satanic west

As you say, few seem to choose to gain residency in China, why that is I don't know. There are some who have and appear to be well satisfied.

As you say some appear to still believe in the American dream, one of my sons is one of them. His Texan wife's family are helping him getting established.

It's like watching the Krankies.