Assistant Secretary of Commerce Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale
Manufacturing and Services
Singapore Airshow-U.S. International Pavilion
Monday, February 13, 2012
Singapore
As prepared for delivery
Good morning.
Ambassador Adelman, General North, Assistant Secretary Shapiro, Mr. Kallman, distinguished visitors, ladies and gentlemen,
I am honored and delighted to be here today to open the U.S. International Pavilion at the 2012 Singapore Air Show.
The aerospace sector represents one of America’s proudest achievements. To go from the Wright Brothers to Neil Armstrong to today’s multi-faceted industry has taken little over 100 years, yet certainly those brothers could not have imagined what we see today in the U.S. International Pavilion.
Nor could they have imagined the impact that this industry has had on our way of life, the way it has revolutionized both business and leisure; its contribution to our defense of freedom; or the sustenance it provides to millions of Americans in the form of high-paying, rewarding jobs.
The U.S. aerospace industry is key to achieving the goals of President Obama’s National Export Initiative, which was announced in his 2010 State of the Union address and set the ambitious goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014 to support millions of jobs here at home.
The U.S. aerospace industry contributed $77.8 billion in export sales to the U.S. economy in 2010. The industry’s positive trade balance of $43.6 billion is the largest trade surplus of any manufacturing industry. In addition, the U.S. aerospace sector supports more jobs through exports than any other industry.
Make no mistake — America’s aerospace industry is one of our great strengths as a nation. All of us can see that as we view the amazing products and services being offered here today.
Innovation and hard work set America apart. We must continually upgrade our products and work to ensure that we set the standard in occupying the value chain.
The Singapore Air Show and this Pavilion exemplify some of the means by which this can be done. A show like this epitomizes the ideas of trade and competition, and their benefits. Here we have each company and country presenting its finest, competing with others, being made stronger by that competition, and being pushed to develop ever more sophisticated and value-providing products.
Free and fair trade is part and parcel of producing the best, of innovating, of challenging ourselves. Our proper role as leaders is to promote and support the platform that makes this beneficial competition possible and most productive.
The United States Government and the U.S. Department of Commerce have that as one of our primary goals. We salute all of the exhibitors here today and the entire aerospace industry for its innovation, its hard work, and its vision. We will support you in your quest to create the products and jobs of the future.
I would like to thank Kallman Worldwide for so ably organizing this U.S. International Pavilion, as well as the Aerospace Industries Association and the Department of Defense for helping to make this possible.
Here at Singapore we have more than ten representatives of the U.S. Commercial Service who are our front line troops in opening and developing export markets for you.
Thank you very much, and I wish you success at this show.
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