Which Countries Have the Most Economic Influence in Southeast Asia?

Published

53 mins ago

on

May 16, 2024 Graphics/Design:

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Countries With the Most Economic Influence in Southeast Asia

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

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 from 10 countries were asked to select which country/region they believe has the most influential economic power in Southeast Asia.

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

Southeast Asia Perceptions: Who’s Got Economic Influence?

Across all ASEAN nations, China is regarded as the region’s most influential economic power.

Laos and Thailand had the highest share of respondents picking China, at 78% and 71% respectively. As the report points out, China is Laos’ largest foreign investor as well as its top export market.

Country🇨🇳 China🌏 ASEAN🇺🇸 U.S. 🇧🇳 Brunei64%18%8% 🇰🇭 Cambodia60%11%20% 🇮🇩 Indonesia54%28%8% 🇱🇦 Laos78%8%8% 🇲🇾 Malaysia67%17%9% 🇲🇲 Myanmar60%7%20% 🇵🇭 Philippines31%26%28% 🇸🇬 Singapore60%15%21% 🇹🇭 Thailand71%9%11% 🇻🇳 Vietnam53%29%11%
Note: Percentages are rounded.

Other ASEAN countries usually score highly as well, along with the United States.

It’s only in the Philippines, where China (31%), the U.S. (28%) and ASEAN (26%) were perceived as having a similar amount of influence.

ASEAN, Japan, and the EU

Filipinos also rated Japan’s economic influence the highest (9%) compared to those surveyed in other ASEAN countries. In 2023, the Southeast Asian bloc celebrated 50 years of friendship with Japan, marking it as one of their most important “dialogue partners.”

Country🇯🇵 Japan🇪🇺 EU🌐 Other 🇧🇳 Brunei3%1%7% 🇰🇭 Cambodia1%5%3% 🇮🇩 Indonesia5%1%3% 🇱🇦 Laos1%4%1% 🇲🇾 Malaysia4%0%2% 🇲🇲 Myanmar6%6%2% 🇵🇭 Philippines9%4%3% 🇸🇬 Singapore3%0%2% 🇹🇭 Thailand3%4%4% 🇻🇳 Vietnam3%3%2%
Note: Percentages are rounded. Other countries include: Australia, South Korea, India, and the UK.

The EU

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

Published

47 mins ago

on

May 3, 2024 Graphics/Design:

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

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

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

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.).

CountryWorried About Growing
🇨🇳 InfluenceWelcome Growing
🇨🇳 Influence 🇧🇳 Brunei58%42% 🇰🇭 Cambodia66%34% 🇮🇩 Indonesia57%43% 🇱🇦 Laos68%32% 🇲🇾 Malaysia56%44% 🇲🇲 Myanmar95%5% 🇵🇭 Philippines81%19% 🇸🇬 Singapore74%26% 🇹🇭 Thailand84%16% 🇻🇳 Vietnam96%4% Average74%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%).

CountryWorried About Growing
🇺🇸 InfluenceWelcome Growing
🇺🇸 Influence 🇧🇳 Brunei73%27% 🇰🇭 Cambodia58%42% 🇮🇩 Indonesia73%27% 🇱🇦 Laos79%21% 🇲🇾 Malaysia68%32% 🇲🇲 Myanmar45%55% 🇵🇭 Philippines32%69% 🇸🇬 Singapore37%63% 🇹🇭 Thailand80%20% 🇻🇳 Vietnam45%55% Average59%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