China

China is the most influential external partner for Southeast Asia, slightly ahead of the United States. It is the leading overall influence in Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. China’s strengths are its economic and diplomatic influence. It ranks second for cultural influence, behind the United States, and just 13th for defence networks, indicating that with the exceptions of Laos and Cambodia, it is not a highly important defence cooperation partner for most countries. China’s influence is weakest in Timor-Leste, the Philippines, and Brunei, where other partners, including neighbouring countries and the United States, have greater relative importance.