S'poreans see China's influence as slightly more positive than that of US

Most agree democracy is the best form of govt, and think that system here works fine

- Chin Soo Fang

China's influence on Asia and the world is viewed slightly more positively than that of the US, according to a survey of some 1,000 Singapore citizens aged 21 and above.

Singaporeans also believe that China far outstrips the US in influence over Asia, and that the gap will only widen in 10 years' time.

Both the US and China are perceived to have a very similar level of influence over Singapore, and the Republic did not lean towards either power compared with respondents from other Asian countries, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) found.

These were the key findings from the latest Asian Barometer Survey released on Sept 27, a cross-national survey of attitudes and values towards governance and democracy in 15 countries and territories.

The Singapore edition is conducted by IPS, with the latest wave carried out between September and November 2023.

Half of the Singaporean respondents saw the US' influence on Singapore today as positive, compared with 57.5 per cent who saw China's influence here in the same light. Meanwhile, 28.2 per cent more respondents said China has the most influence over Asia today, rather than the US. The perceived gap nearly doubled when respondents were asked if China (59.1 per cent) or the US (6.9 per cent) would be more influential in the region in a decade's time.