special report
Thai-American Business
Vo l u m e 2 / 2 0 0 8
Asia-Pacific Council of American
Chambers of Commerce (Apcac)
Annual Conference Held in Guam
Caption for group photo: Kristin Paulson, 2008 APCAC Chair; Dom LaVigne, Executive
Director, AmCham Singapore; Murray Hiebert, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Judy Reinke, U.S.
Commercial Service, Manilla; Tom Pinansky, APCAC Vice-Chair.
The Guam Chamber of Commerce
hosted more than 100 delegates of
the Asia-Pacific Council of American
Chambers of Commerce (APCAC)
during their annual conference, March
13-15, 2008, at the Hilton Guam
Resort & Spa.
Guam was chosen as the site for
this year’s annual conference due to
Guam’s strategic importance to national security and the unique opportunity members had to see first-hand
the work of the U.S. government in
protecting the economic interests in
the region.
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APCAC consists of 25 member
American Chambers of Commerce,
which represent the growing interests
of 10,000 businesses and 50,000
executives in 19 countries and economies of the Asia-Pacific region. The
APCAC membership manages trade
volumes in excess of U.S.$400 billion
and direct investments (FDI) of over
US..$200 billion. APCAC’s mission is
to improve the competitiveness of U.S.
businesses in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The key objective of the conference
was to formulate solutions to issues
and concerns that work against U.S.
business investment and growth in the
region. These issues and concerns will
be presented at the Washington, D.C.
doorknock on June 22-25, 2008. Keys
issues developed include:
• Taxation of U.S. Citizens
Abroad. Responding to legislation in 2006 that significantly
raised taxes on Americans working
abroad, APCAC opposes any further dilution of Section 911 of the
Internal Revenue Code and calls to
strengthen the tax law to enhance
American international competitiveness. Section 911 provides a
tax exemption for foreign earned
income of American citizens to
partially offset the fact that all oth-
er industrialized countries waive
taxes on income earned abroad by
their citizens.
• Trade Liberalization. The importance of international trade to the
U.S. economy, U.S. businesses,
and American families cannot be
overstated. Trade is a key international tool that generates economic growth, U.S. jobs, consumer
choice, and increased opportunities
for business. The new Congress
and administration in 2009 should
continue to pursue trade policies
that support economic liberalization
through expansion of bilateral free
trade agreements, pursuit of multilateral agreements at the WTO, and
through forums such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
APCAC will also ask Washington
to approve the proposed U.S-Korea
Free Trade Agreement and to continue to negotiate with both Thailand
and Malaysia on their pending free
trade agreements.
• Improved U.S. Engagement in
the Asia-Pacific Region. Perception of U.S. engagement in Asia
still plays a critical role among
many regional and local government leaders. While the United
States has sought to engage constructively and frequently since
September 11, 2001 through
increased bilateral and multilateral
trade, high-level U.S. government
visits, and providing aid assistance
in cases of natural disasters, there
is still a very strong perception and
concern about the U.S. commitment to the Asia-Pacific region
beyond the military, security, and
terrorism-related areas which are
so frequently discussed.
Other conscerns to be discussed
include the lack of protection of Intel-
special report
Guam – America in Asia
Written by: Steve Brooks
The equatorial Pacific climate boasts average temperatures ranging from high 70s to mid 80s Fahrenheit. No
wonder over one million tourists visit Guam yearly. Guam
offers all of the typical vacationer activities, from fishing
to world-class diving and submarine tours to sky diving
along its warm, crystal clear shores. In addition to the
countless beaches, ten world-class golf courses rest on the
small island (212 square miles), two of which are military,
but still accessible with a pass. Hitting the links in Guam
means panoramic views of the island and surrounding
sea as well as layouts designed by some of golf’s greatest,
including Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Sam Snead, and
Jack Nicklaus.
Visitors who stay in the Territory of Guam long enough
often fall in love with the lifestyle of the westernmost part
of America and return to become Guamanians themselves. Fiestas, day-long feasts, are held for any and every
occasion and are open to any hungry bystanders. Fiestas
consist of delicious Asian, Spanish, and American-influenced cuisine and sometimes traditional music featuring
the long-lost nose flute. The diverse population in Guam
is comprised of aboriginal Chamorro, Filipino, American,
Spanish, and Asian cultures and mirrors the continental
American “Melting Pot”, island style.
The economic mainstays of Guam are the bustling tourism
industry and the United States military. Large hotels, tourism services, and American-style malls have capitalized
lectual Property and the level of corruption involved in doing business in
many countries in Asia-Pacific.
At the meeting, Kristen Paulsen,
President, South Asia-Pacific for
United Technologies International
Operations, was elected APCAC Chair
for 2008. Ms. Paulson was previously
A breathtaking sunset at Hagatña Bay, Guam, shown on a 90
cent U.S. postage stamp issued in 2007. Hagatña, the capital of
Guam, was known as Agana until 2002, when it was changed
back to its pre-Second World War name. Guam is a tropical
paradise “Where America’s day begins.”
on the island’s natural beauty and duty-free shopping and
comprise a major portion of the economy. The military
occupies 29% of the island’s land and also accounts for
many of Guam’s 170,000 residents. The current population is about to balloon with what is being categorized
as the largest buildup in the United States military since
WWII. The arrival of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Third Marine
Expeditionary Force, currently in Okinawa, includes
about 8,000 marines and 10,000 dependents.
The American Chamber Of Commerce In Thailand
The U.S. territory of Guam is an island conveniently
situated among the Mariana Islands, making it both a
premier tourist destination in Asia and also an important
military position for the United States. This “Gateway to
Asia” enjoys a strategic Western Pacific location, situated
just four hours away from the major Asian hubs of Japan,
Korea, Okinawa, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and the
Philippines.
The transfer to Guam is expected to trigger an extraordinary 20-25% increase in Guam’s population, and
will more than double the current population of 12,000
military personnel and their families. This will greatly
increase both major industries, while providing a substantial demand for developers when the addition of
new roads, hospitals, schools, and ports is realized. The
unprecedented military expansion in Guam will certainly
boost Guam’s GIP (gross island product), and the island
will be more American than ever… but still in Asia.
Steve Brooks is an intern at AMCHAM. He may be reached at:
[email protected]
Chair of AmCham Singapore in 2003
and 2004 and, prior to taking on her
current assignment in Singapore, was
manager of Congressional affairs for
UTC’s Washington office.
Ms Paulson also served as Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Congressional
Affairs for the Department of
Commerce and Director of
Congressional Affairs for the
International Trade Administration.
Ms Paulson holds her B.A. in
International Studies from Miami
University in Ohio and her law
degree from the Georgetown
University Law Center. She is a
member of the Maryland bar.
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