A think tank in Singapore has announced the results of a survey showing that, for the first time, the percentage of people in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries who, if forced to choose between the United States and China, would choose China has exceeded that of those in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
On the 2nd, the Singaporean think tank ISEAS (Yusof Ishak Institute) announced the results of a survey of approximately 2,000 people, including researchers and government officials from 10 ASEAN countries.
According to this, when asked which country they would choose if they were forced to choose between the United States and China, 49.5% said ``America'' and 50.5% said ``China,'' slightly more than 50.5% said they would choose China. Ta.
Compared to last year's survey, the proportion choosing China has increased by 11.6 points, and this is the first time that China has surpassed the United States in this survey item, which began publicizing in 2020.
Countries with a high percentage of respondents choosing China were Malaysia at 75.1%, Indonesia at 73.2%, and Laos at 70.6%, all of which increased by about 20 to 30 points compared to last year.
The think tank that conducted the study pointed out that these countries are ``reaping significant benefits from China's One Belt, One Road Initiative and active trade and investment.''
On the other hand, in addition to the Philippines, which disputes territorial rights with China in the South China Sea, the percentage of countries such as Vietnam and Singapore that choose the United States remains high, clearly reflecting the struggle for leadership between the United States and China.
Furthermore, in a survey of "trustworthy countries and regions," Japan ranked first with 58.9%, ahead of the United States, China, India, and the European Union.