According to a survey conducted in 2024, around **** percent of respondents from ten ASEAN countries believed ASEAN should stay unified and enhance its resilience in dealing with the pressures from the two major powers. Slightly more than ** percent of respondents stated that ASEAN should remain neutral and not side with China or the United States.
among respondents from ten ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste. Respondents are professionals from the following categories: academia, think-tankers, or researchers; private sector representatives; civil society, non-government organisations (NGOs) or media
representatives; government officials; and regional or international organisations personnel
Method of interview
Online survey
Supplementary notes
Original survey question: "ASEAN is caught in the crossfire as Beijing and Washington compete for influence and leadership in Southeast Asia. How should ASEAN best respond?"
ASEAN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations and is a political and economic union composed of the ten member states Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Results from respondents from Timor-Leste excluded in the aggregated averages as the country is not yet an ASEAN member state.
On their calculation methodology for ASEAN average figures, the source states the following:
We decided to apply a different methodology this year assigning a 10% weighted average to each country’s responses to calculate the average figures for ASEAN as a whole. This is to ensure that the responses of each country are represented by equal proportion, given that ASEAN’s decision-making processes are based on each country having equal say, regardless of country or population size.
Respondent share by nationality:
Brunei: n = 7.4% Cambodia: n = 8.5% Indonesia: n = 12.5% Laos: n = 7.5% Malaysia: n = 11.9% Myanmar: n = 9.6% Philippines: n = 10.2% Singapore: n = 12% Thailand: n = 9.7% Vietnam: n = 7.7%
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ISEAS. (April 3, 2025). Most optimal strategic solutions to cope with the U.S.-China rivalry among people in Southeast Asia in 2025 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1292675/asean-opinion-on-the-best-response-towards-the-us-china-rivalry/
ISEAS. "Most optimal strategic solutions to cope with the U.S.-China rivalry among people in Southeast Asia in 2025." Chart. April 3, 2025. Statista. Accessed July 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1292675/asean-opinion-on-the-best-response-towards-the-us-china-rivalry/
ISEAS. (2025). Most optimal strategic solutions to cope with the U.S.-China rivalry among people in Southeast Asia in 2025. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1292675/asean-opinion-on-the-best-response-towards-the-us-china-rivalry/
ISEAS. "Most Optimal Strategic Solutions to Cope with The U.S.-china Rivalry among People in Southeast Asia in 2025." Statista, Statista Inc., 3 Apr 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1292675/asean-opinion-on-the-best-response-towards-the-us-china-rivalry/
ISEAS, Most optimal strategic solutions to cope with the U.S.-China rivalry among people in Southeast Asia in 2025 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1292675/asean-opinion-on-the-best-response-towards-the-us-china-rivalry/ (last visited July 15, 2025)
Most optimal strategic solutions to cope with the U.S.-China rivalry among people in Southeast Asia in 2025 [Graph], ISEAS, April 3, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1292675/asean-opinion-on-the-best-response-towards-the-us-china-rivalry/
