The Silicon Valley Global Trading Center has launched the Global Commerce Network, a public and private sector video network for international business that will link Silicon Valley companies, the public sector and regions throughout the world, enabling Valley corporations to conduct business via video networking. It will be available through the Trading Center and eventually be accessible at individual company sites in the Valley. The first link-up has been established between the Global Trading Center, the local office of the Department of Commerce and the Commerce Department’s facilities in Washington DC. The Trading Center intends to establish link-ups at 20 sites – including embassies, American Chambers of Commerce and other international trade-related offices around the world – by the end of the year. Through the new video network, a company can reach its distributors, customers and potential clients by use of the video network unit located at the Department of Commerce office at Techmart. The Trading Center and/or the Department of Commerce will assist companies with the network program and companies with a video networking unit on site can use the services for on-line trade assistance and information. The Trading Center has also announced a joint venture with Singapore Network Services to create an international voice and data network to facilitate US trade and exports. The two are planning to work to establish a joint venture company in Silicon Valley to design and implement an electronic trading network tailored to US companies’ needs and markets. It will be modelled on the Electronic Data Interchange network, TradeNet, which was pioneered by Singapore Network Services in 1988.
