SINGAPORE – On June 5, 2024, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong convened the 2024 U.S.-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation (PGI) Ministerial meeting. The following joint statement was issued:
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) launched the PGI in October 2021 as a strategic pathfinder to enhance trade and investment collaboration between the United States, Singapore, and Southeast Asia in new areas, building on strong commercial ties.
"We note that our efforts under the PGI complement other bilateral platforms such as the U.S.-Singapore Critical and Emerging Technology (CET) Dialogue," they stated. "The PGI also complements our broader regional engagement under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Deepening long-term economic cooperation among the IPEF partners will contribute to greater economic growth and job creation in our markets."
Significant progress has been made under the PGI’s four pillars: digital economy and smart cities; advanced manufacturing and supply chain resilience; clean energy and environmental technology; and healthcare. Initiatives include thematic business missions, roundtables, technology showcases, capacity-building workshops, standards workshops, and joint programming at relevant events.
"Significant outcomes on the digital economy and smart cities have been accelerated by the CET Dialogue," they noted. Launched in October 2023, this Dialogue has elevated work harnessing technology for public good.
Following today's meeting, Commerce and Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) will convene an AI roundtable involving industry and government representatives to discuss investments, governance approaches, and workforce development in AI. This initiative underscores deep collaborations in AI across governments, industry, research institutions, with complementary capabilities between both nations.
Additionally, Commerce and MCI announced plans to explore an AI Talent Bridge program. This expands on the U.S.-Singapore Women in Tech Partnership Program launched in 2022 to support youth, women, future leaders in tech.
Both governments welcome an upcoming memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing between IMDA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce aimed at enhancing digital business processes via frameworks like Singapore’s TradeTrust.
To augment advanced manufacturing pillar cooperation on semiconductors will be enhanced by discussions led by Commerce’s CHIPS Program Office (CPO), CHIPS Research Development Office (CRDO), Economic Development Board (EDB), Agency for Science Technology Research (A*STAR), Enterprise Singapore.
In clean energy/environmental technology areas Commerce/MTI continue strengthening collaboration with a focus on civil nuclear energy capability building/promoting sustainability/adoption high-quality climate standards Southeast Asia.
"The PGI has been a vital platform for exploring solutions addressing today’s complex challenges," they concluded. "We will maintain regular engagements under PGI charting new pathways identifying transformative initiatives ensuring sustainable inclusive growth businesses workers."
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