Speeches
American Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting
Remarks by Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold
April 12, 2006
Thank you, Amy. Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to be here with you for the American Chamber of Commerce’s Annual General Meeting. I’d like to thank Amy and Nick for inviting me to speak and to thank all of you for coming today. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many of you since I arrived a little over four months ago. I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of you, and learning more about your companies in the months ahead.
You’ve asked me to talk about my first impressions and long-term goals. Let me begin by describing my first impression of the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore: it is a top-notch organization. AmCham represents the commitment to corporate excellence that helps U.S. business prosper and the commitment to community service that ensures that we are welcome here.
I especially appreciate the friendly welcome that AmCham has given me, including the wonderful reception right after I arrived. From the start, you’ve made me feel at home. I hope we can strengthen further – if that’s possible – the close and cooperative relationship between AmCham and the Embassy. I’m delighted that you have invited me to continue the tradition of quarterly briefings with the Chamber. I enjoyed the opportunity to lead the successful U.S. business delegation to Indonesia in February. I’m looking forward to working with the Chamber on other projects such as Corporate Community Day.
My very first impression of Singapore goes back to 1998, when Bob and I visited our son who was working here for the National Computer Board and living in an HDB flat. Only one room in the apartment had any air conditioning – a single, small window unit. It was hot. I remember that our daughter who was with us and I did our share of complaining about the heat and humidity.
My more recent impression of Singapore comes from my experiences during this past four months. Moving to a new country, leaving children and grandchildren behind, starting a new job, having my husband here only every other month – these are not easy transitions to make. But the people here, both Singaporeans and expatriates, have made me feel so very welcome and have helped me adjust very quickly to my new life experience. On the other hand, some things never change -- and Singapore is still hot! I shamelessly admit that I am very grateful that the ambassador’s residence has central air-conditioning and I love it!
The American Community
I’m not sure how many Americans lived here in 1998 when I first visited, but today there are more than 14,000 Americans living in Singapore, and well over 300,000 Americans visit here each year. Guarding the safety and well being of all American citizens in Singapore is my top priority and maintaining clear and open lines of communication is my top goal. I want you to be proud of your Embassy -- and I want our staff to give you the highest quality service, whether we are adding new pages to your passport or supporting your business interests or contributing to programs at the schools.
We’re working with the Singapore government to protect U.S. interests in Singapore. This includes preparing for non-traditional challenges such as a natural disaster or a pandemic. Singapore is a terrific partner in emergency planning and preparedness. According to the Director General of the World Health Organization, Singapore has one of the best plans of action in the world for coping with avian influenza, should an outbreak occur.
In the event of any emergency, the Embassy will activate our warden network and work closely with AmCham and other organizations to ensure the American community has complete, current, and accurate information. We hope that our website and interactions with the community will help control the rumors that inevitably spread in a crisis situation.
We also want to make it easier to stay on top of any untoward developments in the region because so many of you have regional responsibilities. We have a link on our homepage to the travel warnings and advisories for neighboring countries. I’d like to put in a plug for American citizens to register via our homepage. There are two separate registries. One records your contact details so we know how to reach you in an emergency. The other signs you up to receive our emergency and other warden notices.
Keeping American citizens safe and secure is my most important responsibility. At the same time, I’d ask Americans in Singapore to please remember that we are guests here and subject to the laws of this country. Each of you, and every member of your family, is an ambassador of our nation. Thank you for building goodwill for the United States through events like Corporate Community Day and your companies’ individual charitable projects.
Support for U.S. business
My next priority is to support U.S. business -- my goal is to help expand our exports and support U.S. commercial interests in Singapore. My flight in an F-15 fighter jet that was here for the air show really heightened my awareness of the importance of international business to Singapore. As we flew over the Strait of Malacca and I saw the hundreds of container ships waiting to load and unload cargo, I could see just how much trade flows through Singapore. This truly is a global commercial center and we are a big part of it.
The United States is Singapore’s largest foreign investor and its second largest trading partner. Singapore is the largest ASEAN market for U.S. exports, and we export nearly as much to Singapore as we do to France or Taiwan. U.S. companies have invested nearly four times more in Singapore than in China.
U.S. exports to Singapore have jumped 23 percent since the Free Trade Agreement went into effect a little over two years ago. The FTA's strong protection of intellectual property rights has encouraged American companies (like Lucas Films and our major pharmaceutical houses) to open offices here or to expand existing operations. We’re also seeing firms – including SMEs – that are using Singapore as an R&D center to develop products for this region – and many of these products will be produced in part or completely in the United States!
The Embassy and I are committed to ensuring the FTA’s full and effective implementation. We need and welcome feedback from the American business community about FTA issues. As many of you know, we just completed the second annual review of the FTA. We discussed many areas, including telecommunications regulations, market access, and protection of intellectual property and trade secrets. And we're prepared to raise even more subjects in future reviews.
We want American businesses to continue thriving here. As Ambassador, I want to work closely with you and your companies, no matter how big or how small. In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve already had literally hundreds of meetings with business executives. These meetings help me understand your concerns and your expectations. In the months ahead, I look forward to meeting regularly with the AmCham and representatives of U.S. companies, and to visiting your facilities. My team at the Embassy and I will work with you to take advantage of existing business prospects.
Our U.S. Commercial Service office, headed by George Ruffner, works hard to get new companies here. The greatest obstacle to attracting American firms to Singapore is convincing them to make that first trip across the Pacific. We need to work together to encourage more American companies to consider doing business in Singapore and the region, and once they’re here, of course they’ll become AmCham members! It’s a win/win strategy for everyone.
I’d also like to ask for your support in getting more American students to come here as exchange students and as interns. I hope you’ll work with your U.S. headquarters to offer internships here or find other ways to encourage American college students to study here, while at the same time encouraging more Singaporeans to study in the United States.
Singapore is an even more appealing destination than it was back when our son worked here. It’s livelier, more dynamic, and more outward looking. The mood is more upbeat. There’s an active cultural scene. The Esplanade and Biopolis show Singapore’s shift to an ideas-based economy with great focus on creativity in the arts and sciences. Speaking of culture, the arrival of the integrated resorts is expected to significantly enhance Singapore’s reputation as one of Asia’s top cities for meetings and conventions.
Political and Security Interests
While Singapore has changed, so has the region. Back in 1998, China and India were not the rising economic powerhouses that they are today. The winds of political change were just beginning to blow in Indonesia. Since then, both Indonesia and Malaysia have experienced historic political transitions. One thing that hasn't changed and won't change is U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia. Our broad-based and deeply rooted involvement with the region has, if anything, grown in recent years. We will continue to play an active role here.
Since I presented my credentials on December 29, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with Singapore's leadership. I’ve met more than once with all the senior leaders -- Minister Mentor Lee, Senior Minister Goh, Prime Minister Lee, and President Nathan -- and all but a few of the cabinet ministers. At each meeting, Singapore’s leaders have told me how much they value the U.S. presence in Singapore, and how important it is that the United States stays engaged in the region.
Therefore, another priority for me is strengthening our security relationship with Singapore. My goals in this area are ever-closer military ties, greater science and technology exchange, and steadily expanding cooperation on counterterrorism. The Strategic Framework Agreement that President Bush and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong signed last July solidified our security relationship and we will be building steadily on that foundation.
- Our shared perspectives on global issues results in effective cooperation, from Singapore's deployment of air and naval assets to the Iraq theater to leasing us the facilities that allow us to provide logistics support to our military ships, aircraft, and personnel in the western Pacific.
- Interoperability is a key interest. We were delighted by Singapore’s recent decision to select the F-15 aircraft for its next generation fighter jet. We will work to help our aerospace and defense companies secure future sales.
- Nothing demonstrated the importance of interoperability more vividly than Singapore’s immediate assistance in rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina. Americans are grateful to the Singapore Air Force’s 41 personnel and 4 Chinook helicopters that flew more than 80 sorties, transported more than 800 evacuees to safety, and airlifted more than 540 tons of relief materials.
Protecting U.S. interests here and in the region from terrorist attacks remains a key security priority. The several bombings in Indonesia, and the discovery in 2001 of a local Al-Qaeda affiliate’s plot to bomb western interests in Singapore, make clear that we cannot afford to be complacent about our safety. Fortunately, Singapore is a strong partner in our counterterrorism efforts. Its law-enforcement and intelligence services work extensively with their American and regional counterparts to identify and stop potential threats. Deepening this already strong cooperation will be one of my top goals in the months and years ahead.
Taking relations a step further
The link between Singapore and the United States extends well beyond our economic and military ties. I’m impressed by the complexity of our relationship, for Singapore’s small size belies its great importance. The steady stream of U.S. visitors -- both public and private sector -- attests to the breadth and depth of our relations. In March, for example, the Embassy hosted Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Karan Bhatia, Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Frank Lavin, U.S. Patent and Trademark Commissioner Lynne Beresford, Acting Under Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Lambert, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Gary Roughead – and that’s just a few of the senior visits!
Given the strength of our ties, it’s natural for us to want to look for new areas of cooperation. Another priority for me is to build on what we’ve already accomplished, and take a great relationship further. My goals are improved law enforcement cooperation and stronger collaboration in the area of counterproliferation.
Law enforcement
More than half a dozen U.S. law enforcement agencies have representatives in the Embassy. They include the FBI, DEA, Coast Guard, Transport Security Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Patrol -- the list alone speaks to the breadth of activities. Singapore’s strengths as a financial and transportation hub make it a potential transit point for the illegal movement of people, money, and goods by terrorists and criminals. Our law enforcement agencies cooperate with their Singaporean counterparts to combat transnational crimes like narcotics trafficking, people smuggling, and money-laundering. We’re working to expand this cooperation. We have been discussing, and hope to conclude, a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which could regularize and formalize our law-enforcement relationship. We are pleased that the efforts of countries around the world to develop more secure travel documents are bearing fruit. Singapore has already begun to produce biometric passports on a limited scale and plans the full rollout later this year.
Trade and export controls
A second area of increasing importance and focus for the Embassy is counterproliferation and export controls. We’re working to expand our customs cooperation with Singapore, with special emphasis on transshipment of illicit, illegal, and dangerous cargo. The world needs a secure yet efficient trading system. Economies depend on international trade and this is particularly true for Singapore. We are working on several joint programs with Singapore to ensure that the port here is not used to ship weapons of mass destruction.
We’re also extending our cooperation into other areas, including health, science, and technology. Last November, we signed an agreement establishing the Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention (REDI) Center. This center will deal with new medical challenges in the region, such avian influenza, by building expertise and setting up contact networks. American and Singaporean institutions are tackling health problems through joint projects such as researching the causes of cancer and mapping genes.
Conclusion
In closing, let me share one final impression. The AmCham is a vibrant organization and an important advocate for U.S. business interests. The Chamber and other American organizations in Singapore are a source of strength to our community and a window for Singaporeans to see what America and Americans stand for. I am truly privileged to be here and to have the opportunity to work with all of you.
Thank you.