Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sayyed Khamenei: Us knows that intervention in Israeli aggression on Iran will leave them damaged far more than they could do Iran.
Sayyed Khamenei: Israeli enemy committed a grave error, one it must be punished for.
Sayyed Khamenei: US' intervention in support of Israeli entity in aggression against us is indicative of entity's weakness.
Sayyed Khamenei: We had expected in advance that the US would intervene for "Israel", which is becoming more apparent day after day.
Sayyed Khamenei: Iranian people will not submit or surrender to anyone.
Sayyed Khamenei: Iranian people will stand tall, strong against any imposed "peace" just as it once did against the imposed war.
Sayyed Khamenei: Let the US know that any military intervention will bring forth repercussions they could never mend.
Sayyed Khamenei: The US must learn that the Iranian people will not surrender, and does not submit to diktats and threats.
Sayyed Khamenei: War will be met with war, bombardment with bombardment, strikes with strikes.
Sayyed Khamenei: The Iranian people's steadfastness against the Israeli aggression reflects the awareness of our people.

Survey shows majority of Southeast Asians prefer China over US

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 4 Apr 2024 16:05
  • 1 Shares
5 Min Read

If southeast asians had to pick sides between China and the US for regional alignment, a survey reveals that the majority would go for the Asian giant.

  • x
  • People with their luggage visit the Temple of Heaven park in Beijing, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.(AP)
    People with their luggage visit the Temple of Heaven park in Beijing, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (AP)

Showcasing Bejing's growing influence in the region, more than half of Southeast Asians would now rather stand with China and not the US if forced to pick sides, a regional survey revealed.

According to the State of Southeast Asia 2024 survey published this week, usually conducted annually by the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, 50.5% of respondents voted for China and 49.5% voted for the US if the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had to pick sides.

The survey of 1,994 respondents from academia, business, government, civil society, and the media was done between January 3 and February 23.

This is the first time Beijing outvotes Washington since the annual survey started asking the question in 2020, as last year, only 38.9% of respondents preferred China, with 61.1% favoring the US.

Team China

Among the 10 countries of ASEAN, Malaysia exhibited the strongest alignment with China with 75.1%. Indonesia and Laos came in second and third at 73.2% and 70.6%, as China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative and strong trade relations have impacted these countries positively. 

In addition, 59.9% voted for China as the most influential economic power in the region, also outvoting the US. 

Team US

Related News

Japan, China trade blame over near-miss incident amid PLA drills

Explosion at Japan SDF facility inside US Kadena Air Base, 4 injured

On the other side, half of the respondents showed distrust of China, with 45.5% saying that they have concerns over Beijing using its economic and military power to threaten their country’s interest and sovereignty, thereby keeping Japan as the most trusted major power in the region, according to the survey.

Vietnam showed the highest level of concern among respondents with 87.7%, closely followed by Myanmar at 87.6%. Thailand and the Philippines also showed concern, with 80.3% and 75.8% respectively.

The aforementioned countries also still preferred the US over China with 83.3% of respondents from the Philippines and 79% of Vietnam voting as such.

On taking sides

The survey also showed that Southeast Asians are reluctant to pick a side amid the growing US-China rivalry as only 8% believe that ASEAN should pick a side, because, according to them, neutrality is unrealistic. 

However, 46.8% believe that the bloc should put more effort into strengthening its resilience and unity to withstand pressure from both countries. 

Major concerns including geopolitics 

It was also revealed that the economy stayed the top priority for respondents regardless of the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.

The survey also showed that 57.7% of respondents in the region labeled unemployment and the chance of a recession as their major concerns. Climate change followed, standing at 53.4%, while concerns about increasing economic tensions between major powers stood at 47%.

As for the most urgent geopolitical concerns, the Israeli war on Gaza topped the survey with evidently high levels in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia with the tensions in the South China Sea, global scam operations, and the war in Ukraine following respectively.

Modern Diplomacy: China's influence grows across Asia, Africa & Europe

Chinese influence continues to grow across the Middle East, making it "unavoidable" according to a March 13 new analysis featured in ModernDiplomacy (MD), an international magazine that characterizes itself as a "leading European opinion-maker."

As part of the argument that China became highly influential across Asia and Africa, the MD piece set the premise that China played a role in Middle East affairs, as shown in the most recent and successful Iran-Saudi agreement, as well as the approach to show interest in mediating the "Palestinian-Israeli conflict" as it seeks a "two-state solution" China also showed interest in brokering a Russia-Ukraine peace proposal, which MD considered proof of a growing role on the global level.

These premises dictate that China had remained neutral vis-à-vis all of the Middle East's conflicts, given that China's approach to international relations had been grounded in economic development and stability. According to MD, "China lacks the motivation to break down the security and political structure of the Middle East led by the United States." These global positions and efforts have "secured Chinese credibility in the region."

It is worth noting that MD wrote that China is "not in competition with the United States." This came at a time when the Middle East's relations with the US had been "filled with friction in recent years."

  • Japan
  • The Philippines
  • US
  • Southeast Asia
  • ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
  • China
  • Myanmar
  • thailand
  • Malaysia

Most Read

Iranian missiles impact Israeli sites in Tel Aviv in 2nd wave

Iran's missiles impact 'strategic' Israeli site in Tel Aviv

  • Politics
  • 14 Jun 2025
Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Smoke rises after an Iranian ballistic missile directly struck Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

Op. True Promise 3: Iran's ballistic missiles strike Tel Aviv

  • MENA
  • 13 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Turkish Air Force pilot gestures from the cockpit of an F-16 military fighter jet before an Air Policing exercise at the Baza 86 military air base, outside Fetesti, Romania, Wednesday, March 6, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Israeli aircraft violate Turkish airspace, fighter jets scrambled

An Israeli occupation forces armored personnel carrier maneuvers in the Gaza Strip, southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, June 11, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Palestinian resistance downs Israeli drone in Gaza amid extensive ops

An Israeli Hermes 450 UAV drone flies over Beirut, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Politics

Iran reports shooting down 28 types of hostile aircraft in 24 hours

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran retaliatory strikes target greater Tel Aviv as injuries reported

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS