Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today expressed hope that a rare visit by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to Southeast Asia will help boost economic and trade relations between Malaysia and Germany.

Mahathir praised German investors for increasing their investments in Malaysia and for their willingness to transfer technology to locals.

"Germany has been investing more in Malaysia. In fact our trade with Germany had increased tremendously," making it the largest European investor in Malaysia, he told reporters after opening the annual meeting of his government's ruling coalition partner, the Malaysian Indian Congress.