The US-ASEAN Business Council brought its first business mission to Brunei on August 2 to meet with the country’s government officials on developing future avenues of cooperation.
Marc Mealy, Vice President of the US-ASEAN Business Council, noted that the Brunei visit by the delegation, which included executives from two of America’s leading energy companies, ConocoPhillips and the Chevron Corporation, reflects US businesses’ strong desire to explore opportunities to strengthen bilateral economic ties between the United States and Brunei.
“This visit is a way for us to continue to build on Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng’s highly successful visit to the United States in May where he met with executives from American companies, including several members of the US-ASEAN Business Council in Seattle, Washington and Washington DC."
On the first day of their stay in Brunei , Aug. 2, the delegation had discussions with Minister of Energy Pehin Yasmin, Permanent Secretary Dato Lim Jock Hoi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Acting CEO of Brunei Petroleum Azren bin Taib, and CEO Vincent Cheong of the Brunei Economic Development Board.
The Council said in its August 2 press release that although US-Brunei bilateral trade is relatively small, with only 140 million USD total trade in 2009, Brunei’s role in ASEAN and other regional organizations make it an important partner for US business. Council members have particular interest in Brunei ’s central role in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a Trade Agreement that could potentially help serve as the building block of a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific./.