<P> Free - trade zones have more recently been also called special economic zones in some countries . Special economic zones (SEZs) have been established in many countries as testing grounds for the implementation of liberal market economy principles . SEZs are viewed as instruments to enhance the acceptability and the credibility of the transformation policies and to attract domestic and foreign investment . The change in terminology has been driven by the formation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which prohibits members from offering certain types of fiscal incentives to promote the exports of goods, thus the term Export Processing Zone (EPZ) is no longer used with newer zones . For example, India converted all of its EPZs to SEZs in 2000 . </P> <P> In 1999, there were 43 million people working in about 3000 FTZs spanning 116 countries producing clothes, shoes, sneakers, electronics, and toys . The basic objectives of economic zones are to enhance foreign exchange earnings, develop export - oriented industries and to generate employment opportunities . </P> <P> In the US, the Foreign Trade Zone Board is led by the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Treasury . In January 2009, the Foreign - Trade Zones Board adopted a FTZ Board staff proposal to make what it called the Alternative Site Framework (ASF) as a means of designating and managing general - purpose FTZ sites through reorganization . The ASF provides Foreign - Trade Zone Grantees with greater flexibility to meet specific requests for zone status by utilizing the minor boundary modification process . The theory of the ASF is that by more closely linking the amount of FTZ designated space to the amount of space activated with Customs and Border Protection, Zone users would have better and quicker access to benefits . When a FTZ Grantee evaluates whether or not to expand its FTZ project in order to improve the ease in which the Zone may be utilized by existing companies, as well as how it attracts new prospective companies, the Alternative Site Framework (ASF) should be considered . The ASF may be an appropriate option for certain Foreign - Trade Zone projects, but the decision of whether to adopt the new framework and what the configuration of the sites should be will require careful analysis and planning . Regardless of the choice to expand the FTZ project, the sites should be selected and the application should be drafted in such a manner as to receive swift approval, while maximizing benefit to those that locate in the Zone . Successful zone projects are generally the result of a plan developed and implemented by individuals that understand all aspects of the FTZ program . </P> <P> The Foreign Trade Zone Board (FTZB) approves the reorganization of Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) 32 under the alternative site framework . The application submitted by its grantee, The Greater Miami Foreign Trade Zone was approved and officially ordered by the FTZB on January 8, 2013 . From California, to Oklahoma to North Carolina to New York State, FTZs all across the nation have recently been making use of the flexible opportunities offered by the Alternative Site Framework (ASF) program . The ASF program is designed to serve zone projects that want the flexibility to both attract users / operators to certain fixed sites but also want the ability to serve companies at other locations where the demand for FTZ services arises in the future . FTZ 32 was founded in 1979 and processes over $1 billion in goods with products from more than 65 countries and exported to more than 75 countries worldwide, with speed and efficiency . According to the official order from the FTZB, FTZ 32 existing site 1, Miami Free Zone will be classified as a magnet site . </P>

Explain the main purpose of free trade zone for the singapore port