Dr M hopes Schroeder's visit will strengthen economic ties
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.
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.
"It is important to have closer relations with Germany, which we see as a potential investor and a source for technology," he said.
Week-long Asean visit
Industrial giant Siemens is one of some 300 German companies with projects in Malaysia worth a total 1.6 billion euros (1.8 billion US dollars), and hopes to take a large slice of a 1.7 billion-euro project to build a 680-kilometre (425-mile) fully electrified railway from the Thai border to Singapore.
Schroeder was to arrive in Malaysia late Sunday as part of a week-long visit to four Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, and comes just 14 months after the long-ruling Malaysian premier visited Berlin.
He has scheduled stops in Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam as well.
Total trade in 2001 was six billion euros in favour of Malaysia, with most of Germany's imports consisting of electronics, electrical equipment and palm oil. German exports to Malaysia include electronics, machinery and
motor vehicles.
Historic event
Germany's ambassador to Malaysia, Jurgen A.R. Staks, called the visit by Schroeder, a first to Malaysia by a German chancellor, an historic event.
Staks said Schroeder's visit would include an exchange of ideas with regional leaders on post-war Iraq, the Middle East conflict and terrorism, and would seek to identify ways to enhance economic and cultural cooperation.
Germany joined France and Russia in the UN Security Council to voice opposition to war in Iraq, much to the anger of the United States. Malaysia was also opposed to the US-led war in Iraq.
Schroeder's delegation of some 30 people includes his economics and labour minister Wolfgang Clement and business leaders. - AFP
