Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SINGAPORE295
2009-03-30 07:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:
SINGAPORE TRADE MINISTER PUSHES FOR ROBUST U.S. TRADE
how-toVZCZCXRO3425 RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHGP #0295 0890738 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 300738Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6548 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2269 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000295
STATE PASS USTR
NEW DELHI FOR EHRENDREICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD APECO SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE TRADE MINISTER PUSHES FOR ROBUST U.S. TRADE
AGENDA
UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000295
STATE PASS USTR
NEW DELHI FOR EHRENDREICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD APECO SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE TRADE MINISTER PUSHES FOR ROBUST U.S. TRADE
AGENDA
1. (SBU) Summary: In a March 20 speech to a U.S. business
conference, Minister of Trade and Industry (MTI) LIM Hng Kiang
issued a strong call for the United States to resist protectionism
and adopt a "robust" free trade agenda. He charged the United
States with a special role and responsibility as the anchor of the
world economy to lead a global movement for free trade and
investment. Lim said that U.S. participation in APEC and the
Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral trade agreement would signal
a clear U.S. commitment to the region, but warned of the "stakes of
exclusion" if it failed to do so. In a separate meeting, MTI
PermSec Menon pressed visiting Ambassador Michalak on U.S. economic
engagement in the region. A link to Lim's speech is in paragraph 7.
End Summary.
2. (SBU) In the keynote speech of the annual meeting of the
Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) in
Singapore, Lim called on the new U.S. administration to elevate
trade as a priority and craft a "robust free trade agenda". Lim
said that as the world's largest economy the United States had a
responsibility to lead a global movement to create an environment of
free trade and investment. Lim heralded U.S. leadership on post-war
liberalization of trade and investment, saying it had contributed to
growth and prosperity around the world. Noting that trade did not
currently appear to be high on the U.S. agenda, he urged the United
States to "resist the temptation of protectionism" and lead the
world to economic recovery.
3. (SBU) Lim put forth a subtle warning, saying that the United
States needed to recognize both "the promise of participation and
the stakes of exclusion" in deepening its economic engagement with
Asia. Lim specifically pushed for a U.S. commitment to participate
in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) multilateral trade agreement,
of which Singapore is a member. (Note: The United States announced
its intention to join the full agreement in September 2008, but in
February requested a delay to the beginning of negotiations. End
note.)
4. (SBU) Lim said U.S. participation in the TPP would be seen as an
important signal that the United States remained committed to the
region. He argued that Asian countries would continue deepening
economic linkages and integration in any case, and suggested that
U.S. investors and businesses could be "left out of the game" if the
United States backed away from a free trade agenda. Lim cited a
Brookings Institute study that estimated welfare gains of US$156
billion to the United States from a larger Free Trade Agreement of
the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) that could eventually evolve from the TPP.
He claimed that an FTAAP could also curb the U.S. trade deficit with
China, as exports to China would grow more quickly than imports from
China.
MTI Pushes Ambassador Michalak on Engagement
--------------
5. (SBU) On the margins of the APCAC conference, MTI Permanent
Secretary Ravi Menon (who during Singapore's APEC host year also
serves as Chair of the Senior Officials' Meeting) met with visiting
U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak and, like Minister Lim,
argued forcefully for U.S. participation in the TPP. He said also
that Singapore was heavily focused on persuading Vietnam to join the
United States, Australia and Peru in participating in the TPP
negotiations. Menon said the TPP agreement needed to incorporate
developed and developing countries and must not be perceived as an
"Anglo institution".
6. (SBU) Lim also pushed for active U.S. participation in APEC,
noting that APEC was the only regional forum that included the
United States at a Leaders' level. Lim described U.S. chairmanship
of APEC in 2011 as an opportunity to strengthen APEC and to
demonstrate firm U.S. engagement in Asia.
7. (U) The text of Minister Lim's speech can be downloaded at
http://www.news.gov.sg/public/sgpc/en/media_r eleases/
agencies/mti/speech/S-20090320-1.html.
SHIELDS
STATE PASS USTR
NEW DELHI FOR EHRENDREICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD APECO SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE TRADE MINISTER PUSHES FOR ROBUST U.S. TRADE
AGENDA
1. (SBU) Summary: In a March 20 speech to a U.S. business
conference, Minister of Trade and Industry (MTI) LIM Hng Kiang
issued a strong call for the United States to resist protectionism
and adopt a "robust" free trade agenda. He charged the United
States with a special role and responsibility as the anchor of the
world economy to lead a global movement for free trade and
investment. Lim said that U.S. participation in APEC and the
Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral trade agreement would signal
a clear U.S. commitment to the region, but warned of the "stakes of
exclusion" if it failed to do so. In a separate meeting, MTI
PermSec Menon pressed visiting Ambassador Michalak on U.S. economic
engagement in the region. A link to Lim's speech is in paragraph 7.
End Summary.
2. (SBU) In the keynote speech of the annual meeting of the
Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) in
Singapore, Lim called on the new U.S. administration to elevate
trade as a priority and craft a "robust free trade agenda". Lim
said that as the world's largest economy the United States had a
responsibility to lead a global movement to create an environment of
free trade and investment. Lim heralded U.S. leadership on post-war
liberalization of trade and investment, saying it had contributed to
growth and prosperity around the world. Noting that trade did not
currently appear to be high on the U.S. agenda, he urged the United
States to "resist the temptation of protectionism" and lead the
world to economic recovery.
3. (SBU) Lim put forth a subtle warning, saying that the United
States needed to recognize both "the promise of participation and
the stakes of exclusion" in deepening its economic engagement with
Asia. Lim specifically pushed for a U.S. commitment to participate
in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) multilateral trade agreement,
of which Singapore is a member. (Note: The United States announced
its intention to join the full agreement in September 2008, but in
February requested a delay to the beginning of negotiations. End
note.)
4. (SBU) Lim said U.S. participation in the TPP would be seen as an
important signal that the United States remained committed to the
region. He argued that Asian countries would continue deepening
economic linkages and integration in any case, and suggested that
U.S. investors and businesses could be "left out of the game" if the
United States backed away from a free trade agenda. Lim cited a
Brookings Institute study that estimated welfare gains of US$156
billion to the United States from a larger Free Trade Agreement of
the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) that could eventually evolve from the TPP.
He claimed that an FTAAP could also curb the U.S. trade deficit with
China, as exports to China would grow more quickly than imports from
China.
MTI Pushes Ambassador Michalak on Engagement
--------------
5. (SBU) On the margins of the APCAC conference, MTI Permanent
Secretary Ravi Menon (who during Singapore's APEC host year also
serves as Chair of the Senior Officials' Meeting) met with visiting
U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak and, like Minister Lim,
argued forcefully for U.S. participation in the TPP. He said also
that Singapore was heavily focused on persuading Vietnam to join the
United States, Australia and Peru in participating in the TPP
negotiations. Menon said the TPP agreement needed to incorporate
developed and developing countries and must not be perceived as an
"Anglo institution".
6. (SBU) Lim also pushed for active U.S. participation in APEC,
noting that APEC was the only regional forum that included the
United States at a Leaders' level. Lim described U.S. chairmanship
of APEC in 2011 as an opportunity to strengthen APEC and to
demonstrate firm U.S. engagement in Asia.
7. (U) The text of Minister Lim's speech can be downloaded at
http://www.news.gov.sg/public/sgpc/en/media_r eleases/
agencies/mti/speech/S-20090320-1.html.
SHIELDS