Geographic proximity predicts a nation's geopolitical alignment with 80 percent accuracy

Gravity models in geopolitics suggest that a nation's alignment is a function of geospatial algebra rather than shared political values. The ISEAS 2026 survey revealed a significant shift in Southeast Asia, with 52 percent of ASEAN elites now favoring China over the United States. This preference mirrors economic reality; Indonesia's 61 percent pro-China tilt follows 130 billion dollars in annual trade, dwarfing historical American investment.