China has overtaken Japan as the most trusted country among ASEAN populations for the first time since 2021, a shift that underscores Beijing's growing soft power influence even as regional governments deepen security cooperation with the United States.
According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2025 overseas public opinion survey, reported by Asahi Shimbun, 22% of ASEAN respondents selected China as their most trusted country or organization, compared to 20% for ASEAN itself and 17% for Japan.
The results reveal a fundamental disconnect between elite security concerns and popular sentiment across Southeast Asia—a gap that complicates ASEAN governments' efforts to balance economic dependence on China with strategic hedging toward Washington.
The Trust Paradox
The survey findings come amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea, where Chinese coast guard vessels have harassed Philippine, Vietnamese, and Malaysian maritime forces. Beijing claims nearly the entire waterway despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling that rejected its historical claims.
Yet China's assertiveness in disputed waters has not translated into regional distrust at the popular level. The reasons are economic: China is ASEAN's largest trading partner, accounting for $722 billion in bilateral trade in 2024. Beijing has invested heavily in infrastructure through the Belt and Road Initiative, financing ports, highways, and railways across Southeast Asia.




