American businessmen are anxious to hear the plans of the new government and on how to further improve the trade and investment relations between the two countries.

In a congratulatory letter addressed to President-elect Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III, US Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Thomas J. Donohue has extended an invitation to Aquino to visit Washington and to meet American businessmen.

The US Chamber office is located right across the White House in Washington.

“American business leaders would welcome an opportunity to hear your plans for the new government and your views for furthering the trade and investments between our two countries,” Donohue said.

“The US Chamber of Commerce has long been an advocate for strengthening business ties between the U.S. and the Philippines, and we have enjoyed a long and close relationship with your country,” Donohue said.

Donohue cited the more than a century trading relations between the two countries as witnessed by the fact that the first American Chamber of Commerce was established in the Philippines.

“Rapid technological advances coupled with growing economic globalization give American and Filipino companies increasing opportunities to partner for the benefit of both countries,” he said.

The Philippines, a former American colony, has remained a close political ally of the US. The US is also the Philippines single biggest trading partner.

During the Arroyo administration, the Philippines has pushed for a sectoral free trade agreement with the US starting out with the garments sector. This has resulted in the filing of the “Save Our Industries Act” before both Houses of the US Congress seeking to grant preferential trading arrangement for both countries’ garment sector.

The bill has remained pending in the US Congress.

There are also a huge number of Filipino immigrants in the US soil and have been contributing large amount of money back to the Philippines.

Both countries also maintained joint military exercises under its Joint Visiting Forces Agreement. (BCM)