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Indonesians see China as dominant power
The survey reveals that China, the United States and Japan are the countries with the most influence in Asia, according to Indonesians.
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China's President Xi Jinping listens to a speech during an event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on January 2, 2019. Taiwan's unification with the mainland is (POOL/AFP/Mark Schiefelbein)
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ndonesians perceive China as the dominant power in Asia, but they also view this development in an increasingly negative light, according to the latest study by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI).
The survey reveals that China, the United States and Japan are the countries with the most influence in Asia, according to Indonesians. The survey, which was published on Sunday, polled 1,540 registered voters across Indonesia from July 10 to 15 last year in the aftermath of the general election.
It showed that 39 percent of Indonesians believed that China was the most influential country in Asia, followed by the US and Japan with 18 and 14 percent, respectively.
About 3 percent of respondents opted for other countries while the remaining 24 percent either said they did not know the answer, did not understand the question or declined to answer.
China’s dominance increased sharply from the same survey in 2016, when the US and China were both considered equally influential in Asia — each by 24 percent of Indonesian respondents. In the LSI’s 2011 survey, the US was the most dominant country in Asia with 29 percent of Indonesians opting for the US, while only 19 percent of respondents leaned toward China.
“What is new is that the US’ dominant influence has been replaced by China. A decade ago, it was the US that was seen as the most influential in Asia and in Indonesia. Now and 10 years from now, it is China,” the LSI said.
