Survey: China is the Biggest Economic Player in Southeast Asia 🌏

What we’re showing

The results of a 2024 survey conducted by the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute. Respondents were asked to select which country/region they believe has the most economic influence in Southeast Asia.

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

U.S. vs China

Across all ASEAN nations, China is regarded as the region’s most influential economic power. Opinions differ the most in the Philippines, where the U.S. and China received a similar amount of support.

Laos and Thailand had the highest share of respondents picking China, at 78% and 71% respectively.