Interviewees from Indonesia found that China’s aid was the strongest, followed by those in Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, and Laos, as a result of “deep economic relationships, business dependencies, as well as growing dissatisfaction with US policies.”  ,
Following the re-election of President Donald Trump, the ISEAS review claimed, trust in Washington had increased further in the area.  ,  ,
However, it cited concerns about President Trump’s unstable nature from more than half of survey respondents, who claimed it had “add confusion to US wedding with the area.”  ,
CHINA IS IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE MOST INFLUENTIAL.
China, however, continues to be the most potent economic and political-strategic force in Southeast Asia despite Washington’s tight lead, “outpacing the US by major margins, albeit with some drop in its total monetary and political-strategic influence.”  ,
According to the ISEAS report,” China continues to be the best choice among respondents across ASEAN, with the exception of the Philippines, where the US is still perceived as the most powerful political and corporate power.”
The nation is also the most powerful financial strength, generating 56.4 percent of elections among those surveyed in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.  ,
According to ISEAS, China’s rating highlights its “deep economic ties with the region,” mainly through industry and infrastructure investments under the Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI), adding that Beijing’s” corporate influence continues to be strongly rooted in the region.”
Despite good views, concerns about Beijing’s political and corporate influence in the region continue to grow, with nearly seven in ten ASEAN respondents saying they are unsure.
According to recent research, Laos, a nation that once regarded China as the region’s dominant economic power, took a” significant hit” - , dropping to 49 % from 77.5 % in 2024.  ,
A majority of ASEAN-10 respondents ( 61.9 % ) are concerned about China’s declining regional influence, down from 67.4 % in 2024, according to the report.  ,
Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines are most emphatic about this. Cambodia, Brunei, and Malaysia are the most loving nations in terms of China’s economic impact.