Signed on 6 May 2003, the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement was the first FTA between the US and an Asia-Pacific country. Negotiations spanned more than two years, and talks were elevated to the Ministerial level in its final stages.
Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo, who managed the Trade and Industry portfolio then, said, "The US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement is the most comprehensive FTA Singapore has negotiated to date, and one that we are very proud of. US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick provided invaluable leadership throughout the talks and it was indeed a privilege to work with him.
To express Singapore's appreciation for USTR Zoellick's profound contribution to the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, prominent Singaporean watercolour artist Ong Kim Seng has been commissioned to paint a presentation piece for USTR Zoellick.
Featuring Singapore's Shenton Way skyline with an American container ship in the foreground to highlight our status as a maritime hub, the watercolour is a beautiful portrait of Singapore's dynamic economy.
In a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo presented the painting to US Ambassador Frank Lavin, who received the painting on USTR Zoellick's behalf.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
7 SEPTEMBER 2004