Posts Tagged ‘Indo-Pacific’

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The U.S. is Enhancing Development and Growth Through Energy Opportunities in the Indo-Pacific

July 23, 2019

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By James Sullivan, Deputy Assistant Secretary and performing the non-exclusive duties of the Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis

James Sullivan, Deputy Assistant Secretary and performing the non-exclusive duties of the Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis participates on Energy Investment and Infrastructure in Asia panel hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on July 18.

Last week, I had the privilege of participating in an Energy Investment and Infrastructure in Asia event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the one-year anniversary of Asia EDGE. At this event, I joined U.S. government officials, the U.S. private sector, and foreign governments to discuss Asia EDGE and highlight the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) contribution to the U.S. government’s Indo-Pacific energy initiative.

What is Asia EDGE?

Launched in July 2018 as an initiative to support President Trump’s vision for the Indo-Pacific region, Asia EDGE (Enhancing Development and Growth through Energy) is a U.S. whole-of-government effort to grow sustainable and secure energy markets throughout the Indo-Pacific. Asia EDGE seeks to strengthen energy security, increase energy diversification and trade, and expand energy access.

How does ITA support Asia EDGE?

  • Mobilize private sector investment: ITA coordinates interagency advocacy efforts on behalf of U.S. exporters competing against foreign firms for international public sector projects. With 57 active energy sector cases in the Indo-Pacific valued at $191.5 billion that total more than an estimated $171.6 billion in U.S. export content, these efforts seek to support hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs.
  • Promote U.S. exports: ITA launched a data-driven series of events called “Access Asia” to connect commercial diplomats and policy experts throughout the region with U.S. companies in targeted sectors and cities. To date, the program has conducted events in more than 25 cities across the United States reaching over 1,000 new companies.
  • Remove trade barriers: Througha Federal Register Notice, a private sector roundtable, and ITA-administered federal advisory committees, ITA is actively engaging the U.S. private sector to improve U.S. government understanding of private sector interests and programmatic and policy needs. ITA has incorporated feedback into its commercial diplomacy engagements to promote free, fair, and reciprocal trading relationships.
  • Strengthen standards and best-value procurement practices: Because the development and use of standards is critical for U.S. companies doing business in the region, ITA established a Regional Standards Attaché in Jakarta, Indonesia, to pursue equal market access for U.S. companies in the region.

How can you get involved in ITA Asia EDGE programs?

  • Join an Asia EDGE Energy Industry Working Group (EIWG): ITA’s Asia EDGE EIWG Network is the private sector participation mechanism for U.S. firms to connect to all Asia EDGE activities, inform U.S. government policy, and advance U.S. trade and investment goals.
  • Send us your comments: As outlined in the Federal Register, ITA continues to seek individual comments from industry on government programs. These comments will use used to inform the catalyzation of U.S. private sector participation in commercial energy opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • Leverage our services: ITA offers companies a full range of services to plan, assess, promote, and expand business in the Indo-Pacific. Companies can find assistance domestically in more than 100 U.S. offices nationwide and in 23 markets across the Indo-Pacific!
  • Find us at an upcoming event: ITA goes where you go! Connect with ITA staff and foreign buyers to expand international sales by meeting with our team at global trade events in the United States and abroad:

Jul 30-31, 2019:          Coal Conference                                 New Delhi, India

Sep 15-18, 2019:         IAEA U.S. Trade Mission                 Vienna, Austria

Sep 17-19, 2019:         Gas Tech                                       Houston, Texas

Sep 23-26, 2019:        Solar Power International                      Salt Lake City, Utah

Oct 9-11, 2019:          LAGCOE 2019                             New Orleans, Louisiana

Oct 28-31, 2019:         Singapore Int’l Energy Week                     Singapore

Nov 4, 2019:               Indo-Pacific Business Forum                   Bangkok, Thailand

Nov 5-7, 2019:            Energy Storage NA                            San Diego, California

Nov 19-21, 2019:        PowerGen 2019                            New Orleans, Louisiana

Jan 28-30, 2020:         DistribuTECH International                      San Antonio, Texas

Mar 16-24, 2020:        Asia EDGE U.S. Trade Mission           Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand

For more information on ITA’s Asia EDGE programs contact AsiaEDGE@trade.gov.

Learn more today about ITA at www.trade.gov and www.export.gov!

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A Free and Open Indo-Pacific Ignites U.S. Business Opportunities and the American Workforce

May 13, 2019

Diane Farrell is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Trade Administration’s Office of Asia 

Last July at the Indo-Pacific Business Forum, Secretary Ross along with other senior Administration officials, reaffirmed the U.S. government economic efforts to advance the President’s vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.  The United States’ vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific is rooted in respect for sovereignty, fair and reciprocal trade, transparent governance, and private sector-led economic growth. For the Indo-Pacific to thrive, the U.S. encourages countries to pursue open, transparent, and rules-based development policies. It also emphasizes the importance of investing in high-quality infrastructure projects that are affordable and sustainable over the long-run.  Finally, the U.S. is optimistic about the opportunities for U.S. companies to contribute to this vision by increasing their exports of high-quality, innovative, goods and services to markets throughout the region.

DAS Farrell

DAS Farrell joins the governments of Papua New Guinea and Fiji at the Asian Development Bank’s annual meeting. Catalyzing U.S. commercial engagement in the Pacific Island Countries is an important part of advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.

U.S. exporters have significant opportunities to explore in the vast and growing Indo-Pacific region which stretches from the west coast of India to the west coast of the United States. In 2018, U.S. exports of goods and services to the region totaled more than $476 billion. U.S. companies’ high-quality goods and services can address needs in these markets particularly in healthcare, energy, aerospace/defense, information and communication technology and infrastructure.

A free and open Indo-Pacific means fair and reciprocal access to these export opportunities for U.S. companies, which will help grow the U.S. economy and support good paying jobs in America. On average, U.S. firms that export see sales grow faster, more jobs created, and higher wages for employees than non-exporting firms. In 2018, the International Trade Administration’s work to ensure fair and reciprocal trade around the world enabled $104 billion in U.S. exports and $20 billion in inward investment supporting over 570,000 American jobs.

The International Trade Administration has been championing this Administration goal since July, by not only enforcing the principles of fair and reciprocal trade in the region, but also reinvigorating America’s entrepreneurial spirit in the Indo-Pacific through a sequenced set of data- and opportunity-driven programs: Access Asia, Discover Global Markets Indo-Pacific and Trade Winds Indo-Pacific.

Access Asia was launched last year and has reached over 1,000 U.S. Companies in more than 25 cities across the United States. It is a series of events across the U.S. that gives ready-to-export U.S. companies access to U.S. Commercial Service diplomats from Indo-Pacific markets who help them develop strategies to access immediate commercial opportunities in strategic sectors like healthcare, energy, aerospace/defense, and information and communication technology. Through Access Asia, we seek to  increase U.S. exports to the Indo-Pacific region and further the Administration’s emphasis on reducing the U.S. trade deficit.

 Discover Global Markets: Indo-Pacific took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, December 10-12, 2018, with a  focus on connecting U.S. companies with defense and aerospace business opportunities and developing stronger strategic ties in the region. More than 330 people from 36 states attended and over 700 one-on-one meetings were held between U.S. companies, U.S. Commercial Service Diplomats, foreign buyers, and large U.S. original equipment manufacturers.

Last week’s, Trade Winds Indo-Pacific Forum and Mission in India and Bangladesh provided U.S. exporters with the opportunity to further pursue business ventures that began in discussions occurring at Discover Global Markets Indo-Pacific and Access Asia events. Trade Winds is the U.S. government’s largest annual trade mission. This year’s mission featured U.S. Commercial Service diplomats from markets across the Indo-Pacific including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Finally, ITA encourages companies to embrace their entrepreneurial roots and explore new, developing markets. In partnership with the State Department, ITA now delivers its services in Papua New Guinea and Nepal. In partnership with Australia and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, ITA is hosting an event on the margins of the Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting to connect U.S. and Australian companies and Pacific Island Country leaders to discuss infrastructure opportunities and challenges.

ITA’s worldwide network of experts advances the President’s vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific by eliminating trade barriers, negotiating fair trade deals, ensuring compliance with trade laws and agreements, and expanding trade opportunities for U.S. businesses and investment opportunities for foreign companies. Working with our foreign partners on these activities will help catalyze private-sector led economic development for them and help the American economy grow.

For U.S. companies ready to start exploring, find your local International Trade Specialist at www.export.gov/locations to discuss opportunities you may have in the Indo-Pacific.  To learn more about ITA’s activities in the Indo-Pacific, visit our Indo-Pacific website.

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Meet the Contacts You Need to Succeed in 15+ Indo-Pacific Markets Without Leaving the U.S.

October 18, 2018

Susan Crawford is a Communications Specialist with the U.S. Commercial Service’s Integrated Strategic Communications Team. The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.

DGM Salt Lake City Utah

Did you know that the United States exported more than $480 billion in goods to Asia last year, and the potential for selling U.S. products in the region is still largely untapped? The Indo-Pacific region is considered the world’s aviation growth engine with several nations planning to expand existing airport facilities and launch new airport development projects. Governments in the region are also budgeting for major defense and security-related acquisitions.

These new developments in the Indo-Pacific region can translate into significant sales opportunities for U.S. suppliers, if you know where to start. If you’re wondering about how to identify promising markets for your products or services, find potential international buyers or avoid costly missteps, the U.S. Commercial Service can help.

The U.S. Commercial Service’s upcoming flagship Discover Global Markets conference will focus on aerospace, defense and cybersecurity opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Discover Global Markets: Indo-Pacific conference will convene U.S. Commercial Diplomats from 15+ markets, foreign buyers from the region, U.S. industry leaders, U.S. OEMs and American exporters in Salt Lake City, Utah on December 10 – 12, 2018 to help U.S. firms export to the region.

The unique format of the Discover Global Markets: Indo-Pacific conference enables attendees to create a customized experience, targeted to their firm’s needs, that may include:

  • Pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings with our 15+ U.S. Commercial Diplomats who will come prepared with preliminary business assessments specific to your company in the markets of interest to you. They can discuss a variety of topics including industry trends, devising the right market entry strategy and refining cross-cultural communication and negotiation techniques.
  • U.S. Commercial Diplomats from the following markets will be available to meet with U.S. companies at the conference: Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
  • Meetings with foreign procurement executives from several Indo-Pacific markets including India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, who are in search of U.S. suppliers and partners to support their aerospace and defense supply chain.
  • Meetings with U.S. OEMs who are seeking U.S. suppliers for their large Indo-Pacific aerospace and defense projects.
  • Roundtable discussions to learn from and network with expert presenters on topics related to Sales Channels & Project Pipeline, Supply Chain Optimization and Tools for Exporters.

This will be our 18th Discover Global Market Conference and 98 percent of previous attendees said they would recommend the conference to a friend or colleague. Paul Smith, of Astec Aggregate & Mining Group, attended a recent Discover Global Markets conference and said, “This seemed like a perfect opportunity for me to come down and interact and network with people from different countries that we’d like to target. I’ve gotten great feedback from the one-on-one meetings about new strategies that I can try. I’m getting a lot of great information here that I can go back and digest and incorporate into my strategies for the year.”

For more information and to register for Discover Global Markets: Indo-Pacific please visit the conference website, or contact Ms. Shelby Daiek at Shelby.Daiek@trade.gov , 801-524-3091, or Ms. Judy Kornfeld at Judy.Kornfeld@trade.gov, 202-482-1239.

We look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City and helping your firm discover new opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region.

 

 

 

 

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ITA’s Indonesia Power Working Group: Open Access to the Decision Makers and Policy Makers

August 31, 2018

This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy.

This is third entry in a series of guest blogs highlighting ITA activities that help connect U.S. companies to opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region following the recent Indo-Pacific Business Forum where Secretary Ross, Secretary Pompeo and other cabinet officials spoke about the Administration’s commitment to the region.

Click here to read the latest entry of our Indo-Pacific blog series.

Guest Blog Q & A with David Mansfield, Director for Asia, Powerphase International Singapore

ITA: Tell us about your business and what makes your product/service unique?

Mansfield: Powerphase manufactures an innovative High Efficiency Incremental Power Technology called TurboPhase. This technology enables users of Gas Turbine Technology to both increase the power output of their GT’s as well as efficiency, at the lowest cost of generation currently available in the market.

Mansfield speaks at the PWG Energy Day in January 2018, at the Ministry of Energy.

Mansfield speaks at the PWG Energy Day in January 2018, at the Ministry of Energy.

ITA: How do you see Asia affecting your business in the future?

Mansfield: Asia is without doubt the most significant contributor to global development for the foreseeable future. With countries like Indonesia, Vietnam & Thailand on constant expansion into industrial markets, and with the development of renewable generation, this market will need products like ours to ensure stability of generation, now and in the future.

ITA: What was uniquely useful about the Indonesia Power Working Group?

Mansfield: To put it simply, access to the decision makers and policy makers. To change the way a country approaches its electricity solutions on a macro scale requires both. The PWG is the only method to achieve this.

ITA: Why do you work with ITA? And/or How has ITA already helped you in Asia?

Mansfield: The ITA is a one stop shop to access the market. With a limited team based in Asia, having open access to the decision makers and policy makers is critical. The ITA have additionally supported driving opportunities through to conclusion in a challenging political environment. A unique capability which every U.S. Company should consider for its foray into these challenging markets.

Please visit www.powerphase.com to see what exciting projects they are working on thanks to the help of the ITA.

ITA is proud to connect U.S. companies to opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. If you are interested in how ITA can help you access Asian markets, contact your local International Trade Specialist.

 

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Pacific Islands Opportunities: First Stop Papua New Guinea

August 22, 2018

This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy.

This is the first entry in a series of guest blogs highlighting ITA activities that help connect U.S. companies to opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region following the recent Indo-Pacific Business Forum where Secretary Ross, Secretary Pompeo and other cabinet officials spoke about the Administration’s commitment to the region.

Guest Blog Q & A with U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, Catherine Ebert-Gray.

ITA: Tell us a little about the Pacific Islands, particularly Papua New Guinea (PNG), and its strategic importance.

headshot of Catherine Ebert-Gray

U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, Catherine Ebert-Gray

Ambassador Ebert-Gray:  The Pacific Islands are increasingly responsible and democratic nations with an emerging middle class and growing potential for tourism, investment, and development.  Their diverse cultures, rainforests, pristine seas, natural resources, and beauty make them attractive to intrepid travelers and businesses.   The United States has a long and proud history in the Pacific that I’m honored to represent.  Increasingly, we are seeing non-traditional partners such as China working with Pacific Island countries.  It’s important for the United States government and the American business community remain engaged and active in the region as the economies and interests of the Indo-Pacific grows.  PNG is hosting the Asian Pacific Economic Forum in 2018, which represents 21 of the regional economics, 47 percent of global trade, and 57 percent of global GDP.   As Americans, we have tremendous advantages and goodwill which we should leverage to preserve and build strong relations.

ITA: What kind of export opportunities are there for U.S. companies to explore?

Ambassador Ebert-Gray:  While Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are countries with stable and growing economies, Papua New Guinea is by far the largest.  With a land area the size of Oregon or Sweden and a population the size of Michigan, New Jersey, Switzerland, or Israel, it is a market with tremendous potential.  Historically, PNG mostly exported minerals and agricultural products.  That changed in 2014 when ExxonMobil completed construction and began operation of the $19 billion PNG LNG project that exports liquefied natural gas to Asian markets.  Following that success, other oil and gas companies, including French supermajor, Total, are active in PNG working to bring future projects online.

American products and services have been integral to the success of resource projects throughout PNG’s history.  Power is generated by GE turbines or Cummins generators.  Earth is moved with Caterpillar equipment.  The employees take a break to enjoy a cold Coca-Cola.  I see future energy and other extractive projects as ripe targets for American business.  Right now, American companies have been most interested in healthcare and medical products, resource development equipment, electrical generation both traditional and renewable, and increasingly consumer electronics as Pacific Islanders have rapidly moved online.

ITA: How should interested U.S. companies start exploring?

“Representatives of the Lae Chamber of Commerce welcome Ambassador Ebert-Gray and the familiarization tour delegates. Lae is the second largest city in Papua New Guinea.”

Representatives of the Lae Chamber of Commerce welcome Ambassador Ebert-Gray and the familiarization tour delegates. Lae is the second largest city in Papua New Guinea.

Ambassador Ebert-Gray:  They should give us a call, send us an email, or stop by the embassy in Port Moresby!  My team and I love to hear from American businesses who are interested in the region.  We’ve been able to help companies as diverse as fire engine manufacturer exporting for airport improvement projects in PNG to a self-employed American looking to provide consulting services on an Asian Development Bank water project in the Solomon Islands.  To formalize our work, my embassy signed a Post Partnership agreement with the Department of Commerce.  The agreement allows my economic team to offer the full suite of Commercial Service products and services overseas for American companies.  Further, and just as importantly, it allows us to plug in to the terrific network at Commerce to get the resources and assistance we might need.  A capstone to this work will be an American business familiarization trip this August.  We have partnered with the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia and the Commercial Service’s office in Australia.  I’m very excited to welcome American companies to my beautiful, exciting, and opportunity-filled part of the world.

If companies are looking for a bit more information on Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, I would recommend the following resources online.

ITA is proud to connect U.S. companies to opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. If you are interested in how ITA can help you access Asian markets, contact your local International Trade Specialist.