The State of Southeast Asia 2022 Survey conducted by the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute highlighted the pandemic’s threat to health, and a ‘slow and ineffective’ ASEAN as the top challenge and concern facing the region. The Myanmar crisis is seen as putting ASEAN’s centrality and unity to the test. China continues to be highly regarded as the most influential economic and political power while Japan remains the most trusted major power. Competing spheres of influence in the region and beyond are not far from everyone’s minds.
