Commerce Concludes Advanced Manufacturing Business Development Mission to Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2022
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
publicaffairs@trade.gov
WASHINGTON - Last Friday, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis Grant Harris concluded a week-long Advanced Manufacturing Business Development Mission to Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan. He led a delegation of more than a dozen U.S. companies and economic development organizations to explore export opportunities in this market while also meeting with government officials, private sector stakeholders, and industry organizations to underscore the importance of strengthening U.S. – Indo-Pacific relationship and promote U.S. interests in international standards.
“The United States has a lot to offer in advanced manufacturing, and I was proud to lead this trade mission to support American manufacturers looking to increase their exports and support jobs in the United States,” said Assistant Secretary Harris.
Indonesia
In Jakarta, Harris and his counterparts from the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Communication and Informatics discussed the way forward for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), U.S.-Indonesia commercial ties, and cross-border data flows. His engagement with the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council focused on the challenges and opportunities facing U.S. companies in the region and how Commerce can best support them. He also led the delegation visits to two advanced manufacturing facilities in Batam to deepen the understanding of the region’s manufacturing industry, supply chains, and export opportunities for U.S. firms.
Singapore
In Singapore, Harris consulted with counterparts from the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Enterprise Singapore on areas of collaboration on the U.S-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation, digital economy, and supply chains. At the Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific (ITAP) trade show, Harris visited numerous U.S. exhibitors and attended a business roundtable to promote U.S. interests in international standards development.
Japan
On the final stop of the trade mission, Assistant Secretary Harris’s meetings with Japan’s Ministry of Economy and Trade focused on strengthening and diversifying supply chains for key industries including semiconductors and electrical vehicle batteries. He also had productive discussions with American and Japanese companies as well as Japan’s Digital Agency on collaboration in digital economy issues through IPEF and the Japan-U.S. Commercial and Industrial Partnership.
The mission delegation included two U.S. economic development organizations and 12 small- and medium-sized U.S. firms, half of which are women- and/or minority-owned. The mission was developed as part of the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) awarded to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), which looks to expand U.S. exports of advanced manufacturing solutions through greater participation in relevant technical standards development and greater collaboration with business leaders.
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