Bill O’Reilly recently made a statement questioning the economic value of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visits to Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. In a clip shared on X (formerly Twitter) on April 17, 2025, O’Reilly reportedly said;
“Let’s update you on the tariffs Chinese President, Xi Jinping, is going to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. Hey, President Xi let me just break it to you: those folks have no money at all okay(?) They cannot help you. They are not gonna buy your stuff because they don’t have any money, all right (?) And so I don’t know why you’re going there because now maybe he’s trying to sneak in Chines goods under the Vietnamese label but that’s gonna be easily exposed. So I don’t even know what this is. You know you, if China loses the US market and I still believe there’s gonna be a detente here. It’s hosed. It’s just screwed because we have the money. We buy the stuff. The Malays aren’t gonna buy your stuff. They don’t have any money.”
However, this statement has been met with criticism and is not supported by economic data. According to The Rakyat Post (TRP), Malaysia’s economy has shown resilience and growth, with a GDP increase of 5.1% in the fourth quarter of 2024 and a gross national income per capita rising to RM54,894. Additionally, trade between Malaysia and China has been robust, with a 4.7% year-on-year increase as of January 2025, totaling RM41.43 billion.
Netizens’ Reaction
As soon as the video was released, people reacted in various ways. However, it is safe to say that most of Malaysians are angry at the insensitive remark.
“In business you cannot rely on 1 customer only. This O’reilly c*** don’t understand. CCP is not looking at Msia to replace USA, that is absurd. She is looking to diversify. Msia/ASEAN is one of many potential market”, said one forum user.
“well china wont just stop at those 3 countries, USA better take care of their close neighbours and allies first,” another forum user chimed in.
On X/Twitter, a user expressed his opinion with an underlying sarcasm towards the issue. Actually I agree with you…America just print money so it’s unlimited. The currency is prop up its value mainly from Wars and Protectionism and Petro dollars. And… America borrows like there’s no tomorrow. Believe in retribution,” he said.
O’Reilly’s Background
Bill O’Reilly is an American television host, political commentator, author, and former journalist. He gained national fame as the host of The O’Reilly Factor, a popular political talk show that aired on Fox News from 1996 to 2017. Known for his combative style and conservative viewpoints, O’Reilly was a major figure in American cable news for over two decades.
He left Fox News in 2017 after multiple sexual harassment allegations came to light; Fox reportedly paid out settlements related to these claims. Despite his departure, he remains active through podcasts, streaming shows, and writing.
Image—@iamjoelee via X
One Response
Is it true they say average Americans don’t have a reasonably high IQ? Asking for a friend.