Singapore, Murrieta Look to Form Trade Relationships

There were many similarities drawn between Singapore and Murrieta during a breakfast event held to encourage global trade.

"Singapore in terms of doing business is the springboard to Asia," said Fred Latuperissa, Inland Empire regional director for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"Just like Murrieta, they are lean and mean. The Inland area pumps out $2.5 billion in agriculture a year and $2.5 billion in manufacturing. So you have a very powerful area here."

Two representatives from Singapore government agencies were invited to speak Thursday at Bear Creek Country Club. They were greeted by a crowd of about 75 people, made up of Murrieta City officials, members of the Murrieta business community and company executives from surrounding communities.

At least one Murrieta business, Cryoquip, is already exporting to Singapore and has locations worldwide. The hope of the event was that more would be encouraged to do the same by first establishing a personal connection. Richard Lim, a Murrieta resident who is originally from Singapore, was glad to help host the event.

Singapore, a 250-square-mile country formed in 1965, is in Southeast Asia on the Malay Peninsula. English is the country's primary language and is spoken by 95 percent of the population.

Boon Ho Toh, center director for International Enterprise Singapore, has been living in Los Angeles for 10 months. He spends his time encouraging trade between the two countries.

"We help Singapore companies look at U.S. companies and U.S. companies look at Singapore, so there is a purpose for us being here," Toh said.

Toh said Singapore companies are looking for U.S. business partners to help them bring food and hospitality products to the U.S., along with video games, films and apparel. He said U.S. business partners are sought to bring retail brands, food service concepts and production houses into Singapore.

Olivia Oo, center director for the Singapore Economic Development Board, said it was an ideal test market for U.S. companies trying to grow their product.

"We've worked with many companies to test their products in Singapore, refine it, and then use Singapore as a springboard to export to the rest of the region," Oo said.

"Singapore is a small market in itself, but we have good connections with the rest of the world."

"Singapore can't fail, they have to succeed," said Bruce Coleman, economic development director for the City of Murrieta. "That kind of energy is what you see here today."

Mayor Randon Lane said the Singapore meeting was part of an overall goal to attract overseas companies to Murrieta. The City is now the largest in Southwest Riverside County, and the area's population is expected to grow by 1 million by 2020, he said.

"When you look at what we are doing with infrastructure, our City sees that as a very important part of attracting business here," Lane said. "This Council has a particular interest in growing international business in our community."

Latuperissa advised companies not to look at Singapore as a competitor, but a partner.

"It is a balance of trade--import or export," Latuperissa said.

"It is a challenging time we are in, but we are here to help out."

Murrieta also recently approved an , to be located at City Hall. It will be used to provide workshops and training for local companies looking to expand their markets.

John Wang, who owns Comfort Inn in Murrieta, is originally from Taiwan but lived in Singapore at one point. He said he attended the event to make new connections.

"Singapore is the Hong Kong of Southeast Asia. All the Fortune 500 companies have offices there. So I am here obviously to see if I can do any future business (with them)."