After arriving in Singapore overnight for this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering, Ambassador Kirk on Tuesday began his schedule of bilateral meetings with APEC trading partners and with congressional leaders in Singapore for APEC as well. Ambassador Kirk is working to reduce both long-standing and new trade barriers among APEC members and to make it cheaper and easier for Americans to do business in the region - facilitating economic growth and job creation at home in the United States.
Ambassador Kirk and USTR officials sat down for a bilateral luncheon meeting with Singaporean Trade Minister Lim Hng Kiang and Singaporean trade officials. Singapore is the host for this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings; after Japan hosts in 2010, the United States will host APEC in 2011. Topics at Tuesday's U.S.-Singapore luncheon included work among host countries to make these APEC years a success, as well as key market-opening, job-creating initiatives on which APEC members can begin and build over the next few years. Areas of particular interest include trade in environmental goods and services.
Ambassador Kirk hosted House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Sander Levin (D-Mich.) for a meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Singapore. As USTR works to craft trade policy that is responsible and more responsive to the needs of America's working families, Ambassador Kirk has committed to working closely with congressional leaders and stakeholders to strike the right balance on trade policy.
