Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to Lead Administration’s First Cabinet-Level Trade Mission

The clean energy business development mission will make stops in China and Indonesia

Remarks
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Delivering the keynote address at the U.S.-China Business Council’s Forecast 2010 conference today, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced he will lead the Obama administration’s first Cabinet-level trade mission when he travels to China and Indonesia this May. The clean energy business development missions will promote exports of leading U.S. technologies related to clean energy, energy efficiency and electric energy storage, transmission, and distribution. The mission will take place May 15-25, and make stops in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, China, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

“Increasing the export of American products and services to global markets can help revive the fortunes of U.S. companies, spur future economic growth and create jobs here at home,” Secretary Locke said. “Clean energy may be the greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century, and the development, production and deployment of American clean energy and energy efficiency technologies can be one of the most beneficial areas of cooperation in the history of U.S.-China relations.”

Directly and indirectly supporting millions of American jobs, exports are an increasingly important part of the economy and a key component of the Obama administration’s efforts to spur new job creation through aggressive trade promotion strategies.

The Department of Commerce, through the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), leads the administration’s trade promotion efforts. The TPCC provides a platform for the Secretary of Commerce to advance a government-wide agenda on trade promotion and to directly engage the heads of the other TPCC agencies.

Commerce’s International Trade Administration helps American companies export their products and services around the world, utilizing some 1,500 U.S. Commercial Service staff stationed in 77 countries across the globe. Last year, the U.S. Commercial Service helped facilitate billions of dollars in U.S. export sales, supporting jobs across the country.

CHINA

China’s rapid economic growth has been accompanied by a huge increase in demand for energy and a dramatic jump in greenhouse gas emissions. In response to these challenges, China’s central government has made clean energy and energy efficiency strategic priorities, implementing programs and new regulations designed to reduce emissions of major pollutants and greenhouse gases. These new requirements offer U.S. companies an important opportunity to provide a wide range of clean energy technologies to China's growing market. The mission will help U.S. companies doing business in China to increase their current level of exports and business and assist experienced U.S. exporters looking to enter the Chinese market for the first time—all of which will support the creation of green jobs in the United States.

INDONESIA

Sound fiscal and monetary policies, strong domestic consumption, and diversified exports are fueling much of Indonesia’s growth. Energy needs far exceed supply causing the country to embark on multiple initiatives to regain energy balance. The Indonesian government expects a 56 percent increase in overall energy investments by 2014. Investment estimates include both public and private funds, which will be targeted at increasing the supply of electricity in urban areas, while also meeting the country’s rural electrification needs. Indonesia is open to cultivating relationships with U.S. technology and service providers. Indonesia’s strategic setting in Asia and its emerging domestic market offer significant commercial opportunities for the U.S. clean energy industry. Participants can help shape the growth of the Indonesian clean energy market by providing insight on standards and regulations that can ultimately lead to creating an environment that is ideal for U.S. products in the future.

Applications for companies interested in participating in the mission can be completed on-line at the Clean Energy Business Development Mission Web site (http://www.trade.gov/cleanenergymission) or can be obtained by contacting the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Business Liaison (202-482-1360). The application deadline is Friday, February 26, 2010.