Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to the Federal Chancellery with military honours. Najib's visit to Germany underlines the close and stable economic relations between the two countries.

Malaysia and Singapore are Germany's largest trading partners among the ASEAN member states. This is also reflected in joint institutions such as the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the German-Malaysian Institute.

Sustainable palm oil cultivation - German vocational training

Following the talks, the Chancellor reported that Prime Minister Najib has assured her that Malaysia is no longer using slash-and-burn methods to create areas for palm oil cultivation. He has invited representatives of the German Bundestag to visit Malaysia to see for themselves the progress the country has made in this area, she said. Najib stressed that the Malaysian palm oil industry is committed to sustainability.

The Federal Chancellor reported that there has been close cooperation in the field of vocational training, "which can also be expanded further". Dual vocational training is being trialled at the German-Malaysian Institute, she said, and is "very highly valued in Malaysia".

Exchange on issues of social policy

The rule of law, the fight against corruption and the situation for religious minorities on the one hand and Muslims in Malaysia on the other were additional subjects discussed at the talks, reported the Chancellor. "We hope Malaysia continues to make good progress, enabling civil society to develop well and human rights to be accepted, too", said Merkel.

Prime Minister Najib praised the German refugee policy: "I would like to take this opportunity to compliment the Federal Chancellor on the role Germany has played in taking in refugees." Solving the conflict in Syria is also the only way to solve the refugee crisis, he said. Malaysia has offered to take in 3,000 Syrian refugees within two years.