China or the US? Which country do Asian nations prefer in the new world order?

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

China is on the rise and the world is shifting away from the unipolar order headed by the United States toward a bipolar world where China will command just as much economic power as its American rivals. This leaves every other country with a problem. 

Who will those closest to China choose?

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

China or the United States? That is the question that nations around the world will need to answer one day. However, nowhere will this question be more consequential than the countries that make up Southeast Asia. Who will those closest to China choose?

A survey revealed something interesting

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Answering which power Southeast Asian countries will back in the future isn’t easy, but a recent survey from the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute polled thought leaders from countries across Southeast Asia to decipher which countries will choose China over the US. 

Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

When asked—‘If ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) were forced to align itself with one of the strategic rivals (U.S. or China), which should it choose?’—a number of thought leaders from many countries gave some surprising responses.

Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

According to the survey data, which was conducted from January to February, there are several countries where a large majority of those polled stated they would choose China over the United States. Let’s explore the results from 10 countries to see where they landed. 

Indonesia — Majority China Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 72%

Align with the US: 28%

Malaysia — Majority China Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 71%

Align with the US: 29%

Thailand — Majority China Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 56%

Align with the US: 44%

Brunei — Majority China Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 55%

Align with the US: 45%

Laos — Majority China Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 51%

Align with the US: 49%

Singapore — Majority US Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 47%

Align with the US: 53%

Cambodia — Majority US Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 43%

Align with the US: 57%

Myanmar — Majority US Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 42%

Align with the US: 58%

Vietnam — Majority US Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 27%

Align with the US: 74%

Philippines — Majority US Alignment

The US is less popular than you’d think, Who will those closest to China choose?, A survey revealed something interesting, Who should ASEAN back if forced to pick?, Looking at the answers from 10 Asian nations, Indonesia — Majority China Alignment, Malaysia — Majority China Alignment, Thailand — Majority China Alignment, Brunei — Majority China Alignment, Laos — Majority China Alignment, Singapore — Majority US Alignment, Cambodia — Majority US Alignment, Myanmar — Majority US Alignment, Vietnam — Majority US Alignment, Philippines — Majority US Alignment

Align with China: 14%

Align with the US: 86%

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