We are not beggars at the table – Responding to Bill O’Reilly

By: Faris Arriffin

When O’Reilly says Southeast Asia “has no money,” he doesn’t just sound outdated—he shows how far behind some are on history, trade, and data.

Let’s break it down with receipts:

1. Trade

If we’re broke, why did ASEAN trade $722B with China in 2022?

That makes us China’s largest trading partner, ahead of the EU.

1 in every 5 dollars in China’s trade flows through ASEAN.

2. Investment

Chinese FDI in ASEAN hit $15.4B in 2022—nearly double 2019.

Money moves where there’s promise, not poverty.

3. Manufacturing

Vietnam imports $45B+ in electronics—not to use, but to export.

Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia do the same.

That mic O’Reilly uses? Probably touched Penang or Hanoi first.

4. Demographics

680M+ people. Young, urban, educated.

A market bigger than the EU, with rising demand and innovation.

5. Perception of Power

In 2024:

• 67% of Malaysians

• 60% of Cambodians

• 53% of Vietnamese

picked China, not the U.S., as the top economic power.

Not propaganda—lived reality.

So let’s be clear:

If Southeast Asia “has no money,” why do China, the U.S., Japan & the EU race to access our markets, tech, and trade routes?

We’re not loud like petrostates.

Not reckless like populists.

We move like current: quiet, deep, unstoppable.

While some scream into mics—

we solder them.

We are not beggars at the table.

We are the table.

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Faris Arriffin is AMANAH Youth Vice Chief.