The release earlier this month of the 2026 State of Southeast Asia survey, an annual poll of regional “elites,” ought to have given Brussels some reason for satisfaction. As in most years, the survey, conducted by the ASEAN Studies Center at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, found that when it comes to trust in the EU, there is reason for good cheer, although only at first glance. For another year running, the EU is the most preferred “third party” for Southeast Asians to hedge against the uncertainties of U.S.-China rivalry, with 37.7 percent support, above the 34.2 percent who said Japan. Australia, India, Britain, and South Korea trailed by some distance.
David Hutt is a journalist at Deutsche Welle (DW). With over a decade of experience, he extensively covers the politics and foreign relations of Southeast Asia, having previously reported from Latin America and Cambodia for various publications. David is featured in notable outlets including Asia Times, South China Morning Post, and The Diplomat, and he is also a fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies.
