Singapore eyes ASEAN-US digital link to ease cross-border trade

AI will be another priority, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan.

Singapore is looking to explore linking the ASEAN Single Window with the US to make electronic trade document exchange easier, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister (Trade) Gan Kim Yong said. 

“One priority is to make cross-border trade easier,” Gan said at the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore’s Regional Economic Conference 2026.

The proposal forms part of Singapore’s agenda as it prepares to assume the ASEAN chairmanship and serve as the bloc’s country coordinator for relations with the US in 2027.

Artificial intelligence will be another priority, Gan said, with the Republic seeking to bring US companies together with regional businesses, governments, and researchers.

Key application areas include advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, logistics, and public services.

He invited AmCham members to submit partnership proposals, including projects that could be developed or tested in Singapore before being expanded to other ASEAN markets.

Meanwhile, Gan said US tariffs and the prospect of further measures were adding uncertainty and affecting business decisions. 

The US has maintained a trade surplus with Singapore for more than two decades, with the surplus exceeding $41.8b (US$33b) in 2025. 

“Singapore is the third-largest Asian investor in the US. More than 250 Singapore companies operate across 45 states,” Gan added.

$1 = US$0.79