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US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) Signed 
Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 05:00 PM

The US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) was signed by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and President George W. Bush on 6 May 2003 in Washington DC.

The USSFTA has been hailed as a ‘landmark agreement’ for its WTO-plus and NAFTA-plus commitments. These include the protection of intellectual property, the inclusion of e-commerce and ICT services, advanced rules of origin and customs cooperation.

As the first FTA to be concluded between the US and an Asian country, the USSFTA will cement the already strong economic ties between Singapore and the US. It will also serve as a catalyst towards deeper US economic engagement in the region and spur other ASEAN-wide FTAs.