On January 18, the US-ASEAN Business Council’s Singapore Committee held its 2023 Q1 committee call. The call featured an overview of the Council's Singapore Committee's work plan.
Opening Remarks
Welcomed the addition of two new team members in the Council’s Singapore team:
Christine Wan, who manages the Financial Service, Sustainability, and Energy portfolio
Jileen Yong, who manages the Council’s Singapore and ICT portfolios.
Presentation of Workplan
Singapore Quarterly Committee Calls
2nd Call – March – Proposed Agenda: Singapore Budget 2023
3rd Call – July – Proposed Agenda: Singapore Business Mission
4th Call – September – Proposed Agenda: Domestic Political Trends
Singapore Leadership Series – Proposed Speaker and Agenda
February – MOS Low Yen Ling (MTI, MCCY) – Budget 2023
April – MOS Alvin Tan (MTI, MCCY) – ASEAN DEFA, Digital Payments
August – MOS Gan Siow Huang (MOM) or MP Poh Li San (VP of Changi Airport Group) – Socio-Economic Policy Priorities
October – GOS SMS Tan Kiat How (MCI, MND) – Digital Economy Priorities
SME Workshop on Digital Building Resiliency for ASEAN SMEs in Singapore
Tentative schedule is on March 08
Currently theme is “Building SMEs Readiness to Enable Singapore as the Digital Tech Hub”.
It will be part of the ASEAN SME Academy
Singapore Digital Economy Mini-Mission alongside Asia Tech x Singapore 2023
Currently will be hosted from June 6 - 7 at the sidelines of IMDA’s Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) 2023 at Capella, Singapore. Please expect mission planning to begin early next February.
AMS officials are expected to participate – though ministerial reps are not going to be confirmed until the May. We are currently in talks with IMDA on how our members can best complement their event topics and agenda.
The main event has three key events:
Lunch with ASEAN senior officials holding digital-related portfolios
Digital Policy Consultative Forum on AI (2nd in a series of 3)
Bilateral meeting with Singapore digital portfolio officials aimed at complementing the July Singapore Business Mission
Singapore Business Mission
Will be a fully in-person mission taking place on July 18 – 20.
Agencies Prioritized:
Financial Services MAS
Digital Economy CSA, IMDA, EDB, ESG, MTI
Digitalization MOE, SSG, ESG
Healthcare MOH
We are currently assessing the ministries that should be prioritized during the Singapore Business Mission in July. Please let us know as early as now which ministry or agency should be prioritized.
- Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
- Briefings led by U.S. and Singapore lead negotiators are being planned.
- Deep dive sessions on specific pillars are being planned.
- PGI Roundtables
- This will be a semi-annual hybrid event in DC then in Singapore
- Roundtables will center around (1) Health, (2) Clean Environment or Smart Cities or Digital Trade
- Official Visits by Senior Officials
- In 2022, the Council was able to host U.S. officials such as Assistant Secretary Arun Venkataraman from Commerce, Secretary Granholm from the Department of Energy, Undersecretary Kathi Vidal of the U.S. Patent Trademark Office.
- Due to short windows of notice and concerns around capacity and budget, the Council may seek the support of member companies who have the space to accommodate roughly 30-50 people.
- With the U.S. hosting APEC this year, we expect more DC based activities and ASEAN officials visiting the U.S. One of the ways we plan on engaging is through the Ambassadors Tours.
- ASEAN Ambassadors Tours are a good opportunity to share member challenges and prospects. This will also be a good opportunity to engage with the American Business Community regarding the opportunities of doing business in Southeast Asia
- First tour will likely take place in Seattle during April.
- Sponsorship opportunities are available so please reach out if interested.
- ASEAN Matters
- The 6th edition of our flagship ASEAN Matters for America publication is being prepared (this is prepared every two years). It is currently being worked on with the Institute for South East Asian Studies, and the East-West Center.
- The visual publication covers relations of ASEAN, including topics such as diplomatic and defense ties, trade & investment, job creation, travel & tourism, student exchanges, ASEAN Americans, and sister relationships.
- The Council will host launch events in Singapore and Washington DC.
- We rely on member support for this publication and will be releasing details on sponsorship in February. Please contact Sara Lessing or Hazen Williams for any questions.
Open Forum – Suggestions by Member Companies
Member company suggested more engagement with CSA. The cybersecurity licensing framework was triggered last year. The industry is concerned regarding the renewal for licensing.
Member company suggested that it would be helpful to cover Singapore and wider ASEAN sustainability-related financial reporting requirements would be helpful for Verizon.
Member company inquired if there are any plans for HLS/MOH engagement on sustainable healthcare?
US-ABC response: Yes, there is a paper in the HLS committee. Comprehensive Dialogue with MOH is something that Sarah is looking at, with Pfizer sponsoring the paper.
Member company is interested in more sustainability related activities and discovering Singapore’s priorities for the next two years.
Member company suggested that it might be a good idea to engage with the new government Chief Sustainability Officer, Lim Tuang Liang on an overall approach to sustainability and then to reporting.
Member company inquired if the Digital Economy mini sessions will have any engagements planned with GovTech, Smart National Digital office.
US-ABC response: SME event: Digital Mini mission June 6-7
Closing Remarks
Reminder the current business missions that USABC is preparing for:
26th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers – February 02 - 05
3rd ASEAN Digital Ministers Meetings – February 08 - 10
Malaysia Business Mission – March 13 - 15
Vietnam Business Mission – March 21 - 24
AFMGM – March 28 - 31
