U.S. Department of commerce under secretary for International Trade Kaplan signs Industry collaboration agreements with the U.S. Chamber of commerce, Singapore Business Federation, and Singapore Manufacturing Federation
Written by cimsme | Oct 06, 2018|
WASHINGTON – On September, the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Gilbert Kaplan, met in Singapore with officials from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Business Federation (SBF), and Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) to update and expand the Department of Commerce’s framework for U.S.-Singapore commercial collaboration. These discussions were part of a broader trip that Under Secretary Kaplan led to India, Vietnam, and Singapore to advance the U.S. Government’s new Indo-Pacific Initiative by helping U.S. companies navigate market challenges and by enhancing trade promotion efforts.
U.S. Chamber Executive Director for Southeast Asia John Goyer joined with Under Secretary Kaplan and Singapore Business Federation President Ho Meng Kit to sign a Statement of Intent between the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Chamber, and the Singapore Business Federation to foster mutually beneficial commercial activities and promote new business partnerships in priority sectors. The U.S. Chamber’s direct participation will help ensure that U.S. industry has a meaningful and central role in identifying key trade promotion activities that can significantly boost U.S. goods and services exports to Singapore.
Under Secretary Kaplan signed a separate Statement of Intent with Singapore Manufacturing Federation President Douglas Foo to lay the groundwork for additional collaborative activities with U.S. and Singaporean industry leaders, including work with innovative startups on standardization in critical emerging areas like additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and medical technology.
In addition, Under Secretary Kaplan witnessed the signing of a third Statement of Intent between Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Vice President of Innovation Brad Schoener and incoming SMF Medical Technology Industry Group Chairperson Margareta Laminto. Under Secretary Kaplan commended AAMI and SMF for organizing a best practices business roundtable on standards and certification processes in the medical technology sector that was held the following day, marking completion of the first deliverable under the new ITA-SMF framework.
In his remarks, Under Secretary Kaplan emphasized that “our partnership with Singapore has been a great representation of the mutually beneficial outcomes we hope to accomplish throughout the broader Indo-Pacific region, especially with all of the gains we have seen since the United States and Singapore signed our bilateral Free Trade Agreement 15 years ago. This includes the Commerce Department’s work with Singapore’s business organizations – who have been great friends and partners of the U.S. Government and U.S. business community over the years.”
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