Trump ‘dents US reputation’ in Southeast Asia, leaves door open for China
Survey finds United States has lost strategic ground to China since US President Donald Trump took office
Washington’s reputation has taken a hit from the new US administration’s lack of engagement with its Asian allies, opening the door for Beijing to fill a strategic vacuum in Southeast Asia, according to a new survey.
More than half of the 318 Southeast Asian respondents to the survey, by Singapore’s Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute, said the United States had lost strategic ground to China since US President Donald Trump took office, and China had emerged as the region’s most influential country.
Diplomatic observers said the survey results reflected falling confidence and widespread concerns among China’s Southeast Asian neighbours over the US’ deliberate, gradual withdrawal from the region amid China’s increasing assertiveness.
The survey results were released last week as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson belatedly renewed US security commitments to Southeast Asian nations during a meeting with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) foreign ministers in Washington.
Over 70 per cent of the respondents – people in government, academia, business and media and civil society in 10 Asean nations – said the US’ reputation under Trump had either deteriorated or deteriorated immensely.