KUALA LUMPUR – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Malaysia this week proves that China holds more respect for the country than the United States does under Donald Trump’s leadership, former Malaysian ambassador to Washington Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said today.
Nazri suggested that while Trump is still waiting for a call from the Chinese leader after ramping up tariffs on Chinese imports to 245%, Xi had instead chosen to extend personal courtesy by visiting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in person.
“Our Malaysian netizens blamed me (for not arranging) the phone call between Trump and Anwar,” he told Scoop when contacted.
“But the irony now is that Trump is waiting for a call from Xi, but he can’t visit the US. So who is better here? I think our PMX is in a better position. China respects us – their president visited our prime minister.”
Nazri added that in light of this show of respect, Malaysians need not concern themselves with whether or not a phone call with Trump ever takes place.
The former envoy was responding to recent remarks by American conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly, who mocked Xi’s visit to Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia – asserting that the countries had no money to purchase Chinese goods.
In a widely shared clip from his No Spin News show, O’Reilly scoffed at the Chinese president’s regional tour, claiming: “Hey President Xi, let me just break it to you. Those folks have no money at all. They’re not going to buy your stuff. I don’t know why you’re going there. The Malays aren’t gonna buy your stuff – they don’t have any money.”
Xi began his official visit to Malaysia on Tuesday at the invitation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim.
A total of 31 memoranda of understanding, agreements and notes were signed between both nations during the trip.
Nazri dismissed O’Reilly’s comments as typical of what he called American ignorance towards Southeast Asia.
“So nothing (from O’Reilly) surprises us as this is a statement made by someone who is very shallow in their knowledge,” he said.
He also pointed to the apparent lack of geopolitical awareness among American officials, citing a moment during the US Senate confirmation hearing of Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth earlier this year, where he struggled to name a single Asean member state.
As for the claims about Malaysia’s financial standing, the former minister said O’Reilly had clearly spoken without basis.
“So, I think we should just ignore him. When someone talks about something which he doesn’t know, then there is no substance in whatever he says.
“They (Americans) can’t fight China (in the trade war), and whatever President Xi is doing, they try to brush it aside by making stupid statements like this.” – April 19, 2025