Nabil Luqman

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politics

China

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asean

tariffs

XiJinping

OReilly

Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a significant three-day state visit to Malaysia on 17 April 2025, marking his first official trip to the country in over 12 years. The visit was part of a broader Southeast Asian diplomatic tour that included earlier stops in Vietnam and Cambodia.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/538b156aa7322f6c9351b6562830a1f5c22fcd78ebbd954050b80f9dcf5dfe0d" />
While the tour was diplomatically significant and led to several high-level agreements, it also attracted criticism from some quarters in the United States, particularly from conservative commentator and former Fox News host Bill O&rsquo;Reilly. In a series of social media clips that have since gone viral in Southeast Asia, O&rsquo;Reilly mocked Xi&rsquo;s trip and derided Malaysia&rsquo;s financial capabilities.
However, closer scrutiny of Malaysia&rsquo;s recent economic performance reveals a country that is anything but destitute &mdash; and paints O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s remarks as not only tone-deaf, but factually incorrect.
O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s Mockery: &ldquo;They Have No Money at All&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"The Malays don't have any money". Omputeh bau tanah ni pandang hina Malaysia, Vietnam dan Cambodia. Ko mampos je lah, bodoh. I haven't detested Americans this much with the way they look down on us Southeast Asians. <a href="https://t.co/wgjqJ2CVgZ">pic.twitter.com/wgjqJ2CVgZ</a>
&mdash; ᴊᴏᴇ ʟᴇᴇ (@iamjoelee) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamjoelee/status/1912587577892413909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

O&rsquo;Reilly, known for his controversial and often provocative takes, launched into a tirade on social media about Xi Jinping&rsquo;s regional tour. Addressing Xi directly in a video clip, he said:
&ldquo;Hey President Xi, let me just break it to you. Those folks have no money at all. They cannot help you. They&rsquo;re not going to buy your stuff because they don&rsquo;t have any money.&rdquo;
He continued, laughing off Xi&rsquo;s diplomatic agenda, suggesting that the Chinese president was perhaps trying to bypass American tariffs by rerouting Chinese goods through Vietnam:
&ldquo;Maybe he&rsquo;s trying to sneak in Chinese goods under the Vietnamese label, but that&rsquo;s going to be easily exposed. The &lsquo;Malays&rsquo; aren&rsquo;t going to buy your stuff. They don&rsquo;t have any money.&rdquo;
O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s commentary was met with swift backlash across social media, with many Malaysians criticising the former TV host&rsquo;s ignorance and condescension. Some users noted the irony of his comments, pointing out that the United States itself carries trillions in debt &mdash; including a significant sum owed to China.
Malaysia&rsquo;s Economic Performance Says Otherwise
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/bff85f094d5c62eb03c08beed0d0b1794e7088e545aae1afa50d70cb2b7dc98c" />
Contrary to O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s assertions, Malaysia&rsquo;s economy has shown steady and positive growth in recent years. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the country recorded a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of RM1.93 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2024. This marked a notable increase from the previous year, with annual GDP growth rising from 3.6% in 2023 to 5.1% in 2024.
Additionally, Malaysia&rsquo;s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita also climbed by 3.6%, reaching RM54,894 &mdash; further contradicting any notion that Malaysians lack purchasing power.
Far from being a struggling economy, Malaysia continues to be one of Southeast Asia&rsquo;s most dynamic markets, buoyed by strong trade ties, expanding consumer sectors, and growing digital connectivity.
Robust Trade with China Continues in 2025
&nbsp;<img src="https://r2.myc.my/4834f19d21df51949247cdd45b3b88a4a8ce9332d236254102c7967a85867eb0" />
If O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s comments were intended to discredit Malaysia&rsquo;s role in global trade, they failed to consider the actual data. Trade between Malaysia and China remains strong and is on an upward trajectory. As of January 2025, total trade between the two countries stood at RM41.43 billion, a 4.7% year-on-year increase, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI).
Imports from China rose 9.4% to RM28.11 billion in the same period, with a 2.7% increase from December 2024. China continues to be Malaysia&rsquo;s top trading partner, comprising 17.1% of total trade.
Furthermore, China is the leading source of goods in Malaysia&rsquo;s cross-border e-commerce. In 2022, China accounted for 61% of Malaysia&rsquo;s cross-border e-commerce transactions, highlighting the deep economic interdependence between the two nations.
Why Malaysians Continue to Buy Chinese Products
&nbsp;<img src="https://r2.myc.my/838c284bb50af7541dc590b885fb4826f674af030ff642bf2e82b4d0854df9e7" />
Malaysia&rsquo;s strong consumer relationship with China is visible in everyday life. Walk into almost any Malaysian household and you are likely to find numerous items labelled &ldquo;Made in China.&rdquo; E-commerce platforms such as Taobao, AliExpress, and SHEIN are household names in Malaysia, offering competitive prices, vast product selections, and increasingly efficient delivery services.
Cultural familiarity and strategic logistics partnerships have further strengthened this consumer link. Seasonal demand spikes during events such as Chinese New Year further highlight the cultural and economic resonance Chinese products have with Malaysian consumers.
Localised payment systems, mobile commerce integration, and language compatibility have all made it easier for Malaysians to buy Chinese goods &mdash; a trend that is expected to persist for the foreseeable future.
Xi&rsquo;s Visit: Diplomacy Over Derision
&nbsp;<img src="https://r2.myc.my/0af42c85e20f26d5337c0aaf3a34de94350ad4a5ee4d4ca6fc64b4d5dc9cdff4" />
Xi&rsquo;s visit to Malaysia was not merely symbolic. During his three-day stay, he met with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The visit culminated in the signing of 31 memoranda of understanding and agreements aimed at strengthening strategic bilateral cooperation in trade, infrastructure, education, and digital economy.
China even released an op-ed during the visit titled &ldquo;May the Ship of China-Malaysia Friendship Sail Toward an Even Brighter Future&rdquo;, underscoring the historical and future significance of the relationship. This message of goodwill stands in sharp contrast to the mocking tone adopted by O&rsquo;Reilly and other critics in the West.
While Xi&rsquo;s Southeast Asian tour took place against the backdrop of escalating US-China trade tensions, most analysts agree the timing was more coincidental than strategic. Nonetheless, it inevitably invited scrutiny from Washington, where former President Donald Trump himself speculated that the visit was &ldquo;probably intended to screw&rdquo; the United States.
Southeast Asia and the Tariff War
Read: <a href="https://myc.my/articles/4228/trump-pauses-global-tariffs-for-90-days-but-escalates-trade-war-with-125percent-levy-on-china">Trump Pauses Global Tariffs For 90 Days &mdash; But Escalates Trade War With 125% Levy On China</a>
The regional tour coincided with a fresh wave of US tariffs aimed at Chinese-linked exports. Trump&rsquo;s administration recently imposed punitive tariffs of 49% on Cambodian goods, 46% on Vietnamese exports, and 26% on Malaysian products. In retaliation, China slapped counter-tariffs of up to 125% on certain US goods. However, the US has also recently paused the global tariffs.
Amid this intensifying trade war, Xi&rsquo;s diplomatic charm offensive in Southeast Asia is seen by some as a way to shore up economic alliances and reassure key partners. Despite the external pressures, Malaysia continues to maintain a neutral, pragmatic stance, bolstering trade where mutual interests align, while resisting alignment with either superpower in an increasingly bipolar world.
Conclusion: A Dismissive Rant Meets a Data-Driven Reality
Bill O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s ridicule of Malaysia as a nation &ldquo;without money&rdquo; has drawn rightful scorn for its arrogance and lack of factual grounding. In contrast to his claims, Malaysia remains a significant economic player in the region, boasting a growing middle class, increasing trade volumes, and a digitally savvy consumer base.
Rather than being an object of mockery, Malaysia, along with Vietnam and Cambodia &mdash; is demonstrating increasing diplomatic clout and economic relevance in a world shaped by shifting trade alliances and digital commerce.
O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s remarks may have stirred social media outrage, but they ultimately reflect a worldview out of step with current economic realities, especially in Southeast Asia, where countries like Malaysia are proving their worth not just with words, but with numbers.
&nbsp;What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media &amp; various cross-references for context.
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No money? With China making up 61% of our international e-commerce, we beg to differ.

fc4ca933cee40fb804e4c769625610f0487b66fca62777c8d2fe51e7709aadb3

Xi Jinping’s Southeast Asia Tour Draws Mockery From US Commentator – But Malaysia’s Economic Numbers Tell A Different Story

Xi Jinping’s Southeast Asia Tour Draws Mockery From US Commentator – But Malaysia’s Economic Numbers Tell A Different Story

No money? With China making up 61% of our international e-commerce, we beg to differ.

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