U.S. - Singapore Digital Economic Cooperation Roadmap

Overview

Digitalization is reshaping our economies and societies. As strategic partners, the United States and Singapore resolve to continue cooperating and aligning on international digital standards and rules. We do so with the goals of maintaining open and competitive digital markets, enabling trusted flows of data, responsibly stewarding fair and inclusive global governance, promoting secure and resilient information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, and facilitating digital interoperability in a trusted and secure manner. By pursuing these goals, we aim to fully harness the benefits and opportunities presented by the digital economy for our businesses, workers, and societies, so that our endeavors continue to serve the global good. 

The United States and Singapore share a strong history of collaborating on areas of shared interest – ranging from cybersecurity and digital infrastructure to regional capacity-building – to advance an open, rules-based international order.  We have robust trade and investment links complemented by expanding bilateral cooperation in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity. On trade and digital cooperation, we work closely together through bilateral, regional, and multilateral fora, including the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA), the U.S.-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation (PGI), the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ meeting, and the WTO Joint Statement Initiative for E-Commerce.  

To build upon and further advance our robust partnership, including the U.S.-Singapore Critical and Emerging Technology Dialogue (CETD), we are releasing this Roadmap for Digital Economic Cooperation (“Roadmap”). This Roadmap reflects our shared principles for the digital economy and identifies priority areas of mutual interest for cooperation to position us to jointly deliver tangible benefits for our businesses, workers, and societies.

Emerging Technologies

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents both challenges and significant opportunities. The United States and Singapore recognize the tremendous potential of artificial intelligence for good, including for the advancement of environmental sustainability, education, economic growth and social welfare, digital inclusion, socially beneficial research and scientific discovery, and healthcare.

To fully realize the benefits of AI, the United States and Singapore intend to develop and adopt governance frameworks for the safe, secure, and trustworthy development, deployment, and evaluation of AI technologies and seek to promote fair and competitive markets with robust opportunities for new entrants. The United States and Singapore recognize that the testing and evaluation of AI technologies should support the objectives of AI governance guidelines and frameworks, including the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, IMDA’s Model AI Governance Framework and AI Verify. These frameworks should also take into consideration relevant international standards and internationally recognized principles and guidelines, including those on explainability, transparency, accountability, fairness, inclusivity, robustness, reproducibility, security, safety, data governance, human-AI configuration, inclusive growth, and societal and environmental well-being.

The United States and Singapore intend to continue cooperating on AI through the exchange of best practices and other information concerning AI governance frameworks, including capacity building, where appropriate. The United States and Singapore have committed to establishing a Smart Cities Program on AI in February 2025 through the Singapore-US Third Country Training Program (TCTP) to deliver capacity-building to ASEAN and Pacific Islands Forum members. We also plan to explore the joint organization of a capacity-building course on AI under the TCTP for officials from Southeast Asia. We are also committed to supporting ASEAN’s AI adoption through the development of the ASEAN Responsible AI Roadmap, a complementary effort to the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, the latter of which was endorsed by ASEAN Digital Ministers under Singapore’s chairmanship.  We also plan to engage in collaborative activities that support the responsible design, development, deployment, and evaluation of AI technologies alongside the encouragement of commercialization opportunities, development of international standards, research cooperation, workforce development and industry cooperation. For example, the U.S. and Singapore’s AI safety institutes are exploring collaborations on the science of AI safety, including working together to support the launch of the global network of AI safety institutes in this fall in San Francisco. Such cooperation builds on ongoing work at bilateral platforms, such as the CET bilateral AI Governance Group, as well as through international initiatives and fora.

Post-Quantum Cryptography

Quantum computing has the potential to bring significant benefits and transform industries. Yet, future quantum computers could also break most encryption algorithms currently used to secure our digital ecosystems. The United States and Singapore recognize the need for close collaboration with international counterparts to ensure our digital ecosystem is secure and resilient against quantum risks.

Additionally, the United States and Singapore seek to exchange information and best practices on post-quantum cryptography. These exchanges may include information-sharing on developments of the quantum threat landscape; migration strategies and key considerations to mitigate risks to confidentiality, integrity and availability; as well as collaborations and workforce development required to support post-quantum cryptography during transitional periods and for effective long-term deployment. We further note the importance of communication and cooperation on post-quantum cryptography standards and pre-standardization work, including those in relevant international bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization.

Quantum Information Science and Technology

The United States and Singapore aim to ensure our engagement on quantum information science and technology – both bilaterally and with international counterparts – includes exchanges on research interests and joint research programs. To this end, the United States and Singapore intend to continue exploring government, academic, and private sector engagement and talent exchanges to lay the groundwork for deeper collaboration and mutual support in this crucial technology area.

Data Governance (including Data Privacy and Data Protection) and the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum

To harness the opportunities of the digital economy and to support the trade of goods and services, the United States and Singapore recognize the importance of and seek to encourage the development of mechanisms including international frameworks like the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) to facilitate cross-border information transfers while protecting personal information and leaving space for necessary regulatory action. Such mechanisms promote compatibility and interoperability among data protection and privacy regimes globally to protect personal information and operationalize data free flow with trust. The United States and Singapore intend to continue working to promote participation in the Global CBPR Forum; recognition and uptake of the Forum’s data protection and privacy certifications, the Global CBPR and Global Privacy Recognition for Processors (PRP) Systems; and participation in the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement (CAPE), a multilateral mechanism for privacy enforcement authorities to cooperate in cross-border data protection and privacy enforcement. The United States and Singapore also exchanged information on relevant developments advancing cooperation in areas including enhancing the trusted flow of data, use of open government data, data innovation, data protection, privacy-enhancing technologies; and identifying areas for industry and research collaboration.

Trusted Environment

Cybersecurity

The United States and Singapore recognize the importance of a secure digital environment, with the highest standards of cybersecurity and resilience against illicit or malicious activity. Cybersecurity incidents and threats undermine confidence in the digital economy and have a detrimental effect on trust in the online environment.

To prevent or mitigate such incidents and threats and thereby facilitate growth and development of the digital economy, it is important to strengthen domestic capabilities for cybersecurity incident response and to use existing collaboration mechanisms to promote information exchange and cooperation. It is also important to advance cooperation in the development and adoption of international technical standards and certifications, to promote the ease of doing business and facilitate digital consumption and trade, taking into consideration the framework of relevant international standard setting organizations where effective and appropriate.

Under the ongoing U.S.-Singapore Cyber Dialogue, the United States and Singapore expect to enhance exchanges on encouraging industry to understand, manage, and reduce cybersecurity risks and the training and development of the cybersecurity workforce. We also intend to work together, both bilaterally and at international fora, to identify areas of common or equivalent cybersecurity requirements to facilitate and advance reciprocal certification of multi-level and binary labelling schemes, such as the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark and Singapore’s Cyber Labelling Scheme.

Online Consumer Protection

The United States and Singapore recognize that effective measures must be in place to ensure a high level of protection for consumers when they engage in digital transactions for goods and services.

To enhance consumer confidence in the digital economy, domestic law should proscribe misleading, fraudulent, and deceptive commercial activities that cause harm, or potential harm, to consumers engaged in digital transactions.  The United States and Singapore may exchange information and best practices on enhancing online consumer protection, such as providing consumers with meaningful access to fair, transparent, and effective mechanisms to resolve digital transaction disputes with suppliers and obtain redress, as appropriate.

Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Messages

The United States and Singapore recognize that transparent and effective measures that limit unsolicited commercial electronic messages have an important role to play in promoting confidence and trust in electronic commerce.  A global coordinated approach to address the issue is important given that it transcends borders.

Measures should ensure that senders of commercial electronic messages are clearly identifiable, have obtained the consent of recipients to receive such messages, or otherwise provide for minimization of unsolicited commercial electronic messages, as specified in domestic laws and regulations.

Online Safety 

The United States and Singapore recognize that a safe, transparent, secure, and open online environment enables the digital economy by protecting users from illegal, harmful, and age-inappropriate content, and creates a sphere where businesses, innovation and creativity can thrive. Cooperation among likeminded governments, including in international fora and through multistakeholder engagement, is key to addressing online harms. It is also important for technology service providers and users to adopt solutions and best practices that are known to assess and mitigate risks to the safety and security of the digital domain.

Digital Connectivity and Infrastructure

Given the crucial role of the Internet in a thriving and innovative digital economy, the United States and Singapore recognize the importance of having open, secure, interoperable, and resilient domestic connectivity and digital infrastructure.

The United States and Singapore plan to continue fostering an enabling environment, for the investments in and deployment of secure, resilient and sustainable digital infrastructure, including data centers and low-earth orbit satellites, as well as the maintenance and repair of undersea cables. This includes the deepening of bilateral experience sharing and consultation with our respective government agencies. The United States and Singapore also recognize the importance of smart cities technologies in sustainable urban development, and intend to foster an enabling environment for its development and deployment.

The United States and Singapore intend to collaborate with ecosystem stakeholders to explore ways to strengthen international connectivity, including information sharing on standardization and pre-standardization work, supporting and enhancing R&D exchanges, exploring joint use cases, and encouraging the development of interoperable technology ecosystems, with respect to connectivity technologies like Open RAN, 5G, and future generation networks.

Trade Facilitation for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)

MSMEs play a fundamental role in maintaining dynamism and enhancing competitiveness in the digital economy. The United States and Singapore are committed to promoting opportunities for small and independent businesses, which are crucial to economic growth and innovation and therefore support an approach to digital trade that is conducive to continued adaptation of MSMEs to the digital economy. We do so by leveraging digital tools to improve MSMEs’ capabilities and market reach, as well as access to platforms that link MSMEs with international suppliers, buyers, and other potential business partners.

Paperless Trading

The United States and Singapore recognize the importance of a paperless border environment to enable more businesses to trade.  Governments and industry can support a paperless border environment by driving forward the digitization of trade-related documents and processes required for import, export, or transit of goods. This includes facilitating the exchange of electronic records used in commercial trading activities between enterprises.

It is important to support efforts by customs authorities and other relevant agencies to make available to the public online the forms issued for import, export, or transit of goods in electronic format, and increasingly accept forms and, as appropriate, supporting documents, submitted in electronic format as the legal equivalent of the paper version of those documents. The United States and Singapore agree that cooperation in international fora has an important role to play to achieve such objectives.

Electronic Invoicing

Electronic invoicing helps to facilitate cross-border digital transactions and help improve cost effectiveness, accuracy, and reliability of commercial transactions – be it business-to-business, business-to-consumer, or business-to-government.

The United States and Singapore recognize the importance of accepting electronic invoices as the legal equivalent of the paper version of those documents.  Doing so facilitates the adoption of electronic invoicing frameworks. Cooperation in sharing best practices on electronic invoicing systems and promoting interoperable electronic invoicing frameworks in international fora also has an important role to play in this context.

Workforce Development

The United States and Singapore recognize that a skilled and trained workforce is fundamental to the growth and sustainability of any digital economy. Such a workforce allows for innovation, fosters the development of current and new technologies, and ensures the efficient operation of digital infrastructure. Collaboration between the United States and Singapore allows us to leverage our diverse skill sets and perspectives to solve complex challenges and seize new opportunities in the digital domain. To that end, the United States and Singapore plan to explore collaborations on capability development, which may include but are not limited to the sharing of best practices and training modalities and programs, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND

MINISTRY OF DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION

SINGAPORE

31 JULY 2024