| ASEAN | China | |
|---|---|---|
| Combined Military Index | 64.7 | 84.8 |
| Member states | 11 | 1 |
| Active military personnel | 1,893,230 | 2,035,000 |
| – Reserve troops | 6,035,800 | 510,000 |
| Military aircraft | 2,200 | 3,731 |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 492 | 2,043 |
| Military ships | 1,265 | 1,042 |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 1 | 3 |
| – incl. submarines | 18 | 64 |
| Main battle tanks | 3,627 | 6,800 |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 600 |
| Combined defense budget | $62.3 billion | $281.2 billion |
Overview
ASEAN groups 11 countries against 1 for China. ASEAN fields 1,893,230 active troops combined vs 2,035,000 for China. China's combined $281B defense budget is 4.5x that of ASEAN ($62B).
In the air, ASEAN musters 2,200 military aircraft (492 combat) against 3,731 (2,043 combat) for China. At sea, the fleets total 1,265 ships for ASEAN and 1,042 for China, including 18 and 64 submarines respectively. On the ground, ASEAN deploys 3,627 main battle tanks vs 6,800 for China.
China holds a nuclear arsenal of 600 warheads; ASEAN has none.
Combined Military Index
Country ranking →| Pillar | Weight | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower | 15% | 100.0 | 5,229,640 effective |
| Ground forces | 20% | 84.3 | 3,627 main battle tanks |
| Naval power | 20% | 85.2 | 1,265 ships, weighted by type |
| Air power | 25% | 72.3 | 2,200 aircraft, weighted by type & age |
| Nuclear deterrent | 10% | 0.0 | No declared capability |
| Defense budget | 10% | 76.8 | $62B combined, PPP-adjusted |
| Readiness | modifier | ×0.99 | Budget per soldier |
| Pillar | Weight | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower | 15% | 98.7 | 2,740,000 effective |
| Ground forces | 20% | 87.2 | 6,800 main battle tanks |
| Naval power | 20% | 100.0 | 1,042 ships, weighted by type |
| Air power | 25% | 91.1 | 3,731 aircraft, weighted by type & age |
| Nuclear deterrent | 10% | 62.2 | 600 warheads |
| Defense budget | 10% | 91.8 | $281B combined, PPP-adjusted |
| Readiness | modifier | ×1.09 | Budget per soldier |
Combined scores treat each coalition as a single force: raw pillar values (troops, weighted equipment points, warheads, budgets) are summed across members and re-scored on the Global Military Index scale. Alliance cohesion, geography and logistics are not modeled.
Forces by Domain
Member Forces
| Country | GMI | Troops | Aircraft | Ships | Budget share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 49.6 | 51,000 | 231 | 55 | 26% |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 48.6 | 450,000 | 205 | 109 | 17% |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 46.7 | 404,500 | 467 | 330 | 18% |
| 🇲🇲 Myanmar | 45.4 | 201,000 | 338 | 234 | 8% |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | 44.0 | 360,850 | 481 | 302 | 9% |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | 40.0 | 150,000 | 246 | 117 | 13% |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 37.6 | 113,000 | 149 | 97 | 7% |
| 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 26.0 | 124,300 | 25 | 21 | 1% |
| 🇱🇦 Laos | 18.8 | 29,100 | 32 | — | 0% |
| 🇧🇳 Brunei | 13.1 | 7,200 | 26 | — | 1% |
| 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 5.5 | 2,280 | — | — | 0% |
| Country | GMI | Troops | Aircraft | Ships | Budget share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China ☢ | 84.8 | 2,035,000 | 3,731 | 1,042 | 100% |
Economy & Geography
| ASEAN | China | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 695.4 million | 1.4 billion |
| Combined GDP | $4.0 trillion | $18.7 trillion |
| GDP per capita | $5,730 | $13,303 |
| Defense share of GDP | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| Land area | 4,342,035 km² | 9,326,410 km² |
| Coastline | 105,776 km | 14,500 km |
| Coalition | Country | Status | Warheads | Deployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 🇨🇳 China | Active | 600 | 24 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is stronger, ASEAN or China?
On the combined Global Military Index, China scores 84.8 against 64.7 for ASEAN. The score aggregates each bloc's manpower, ground, naval, air, nuclear and budget pillars as if it fought as a single force — it ignores geography, cohesion and logistics, which decide real wars.
How many troops do ASEAN and China have?
ASEAN fields 1,893,230 active military personnel across 11 member states, plus 6,035,800 reserves. China fields 2,035,000 active personnel and 510,000 reserves.
How much do ASEAN and China spend on defense?
Combined defense spending reaches $62B a year for ASEAN and $281B for China, summing each member's latest reported military budget.
Who has more military aircraft, ASEAN or China?
ASEAN operates 2,200 military aircraft (492 combat aircraft), while China operates 3,731 (2,043 combat). Each member is counted at its most recent inventory year in the GlobalMilitary.net database.
Do ASEAN or China have nuclear weapons?
China's members hold 600 nuclear warheads combined; ASEAN has no nuclear weapons of its own.