Germany, Malaysia Stand As Important Trading Partners -- Deputy Head Of Mission

By Anas Abu Hassan

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 (Bernama) -- Germany stands to be Malaysia’s most important trading partner within the European Union (EU) as the country is also Germany’s biggest trading partner among the ASEAN countries, said the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Malaysia’s deputy head of mission Ulrike Wolf.

She said both countries realised that economic diversification is not only an important strategy but also a necessity in navigating the current uncertainties in the global economic environment.

bootstrap slideshow

Wolf emphasised that German companies seek reliable and innovative partners in Southeast Asia, and Malaysia rightly prides itself on its highly skilled workforce, dependable and efficient governance, and the rule of law, which complement each other.

“Germany is a leader in high-tech manufacturing, renewable energy and green technologies, while Malaysia is investing ambitiously in digital transformation, sustainability and others under its MADANI Economy framework.

“Together, we can build greener supply chains, smarter products and factories as well as digital solutions that power growth,” she said at the launching ceremony of Siemens Malaysia’s new headquarters, here today.

bootstrap slideshow

According to Wolf, both the EU, which is in charge of trade for its member states, and Malaysia have recognised the opportunities that the mutual relationship holds.

“Both sides have decided to restart negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) in the next few months. I believe that an FTA would be highly beneficial for both sides, and I count on swift negotiations,” she added.

Meanwhile, Siemens Malaysia president and chief executive officer Tindaro Danze noted that the company sees enough potential for Malaysian companies, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to keep the economy growing amid the global uncertainties.

“My belief is that we should wait and see what is happening (in the global economy), especially when Malaysia, as you know, is very dependent on the semiconductor industry.

“But apart from it, I also believe, within Malaysia, we have enough potential to actually keep the economy growing, especially if you look into the data centres that are being put in places and the technology it requires,” he said.

Danze also highlighted that Siemens Malaysia is offering its customers a seamless technology that brings together the real-world application with its software application that optimises data analytics.

“Ultimately, if you want to optimise your operations, your building, whatever operations you have, you need to bring both hardware and software applications together, and Siemens is doing both,” he added.

-- BERNAMA