The President’s Trade Agenda Plus More Reports from Mexico

Members and Friends:

Hope you are staying safe.

Several weeks ago, we included a timeline for trade-related events for this year.  On top of the list was the submission by USTR of the 2021 President’s Trade Agenda and 2020 Annual Report.  Both a Fact Sheet and the complete report (all 308 pages) were released on March 1.  As the report is required by Section 163 of the Trade Act of 1974, it follows a set format.  However, the trade policies outlined by the President are:

  • Tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic and Restoring the Economy

  • A Worker Centric Trade Policy

  • Putting the World on a Sustainable Environment and Climate Path

  • Advancing Racial Equity and Supporting Underserved Communities

  • Addressing China’s Coercive and Unfair Economic Trade Practices Through a Comprehensive Strategy

  • Partnering with Friends and Allies

  • Standing Up for American Farmers, Ranchers, Food Manufacturers, and Fishers

  • Promoting Equitable Economic Growth Around the World

  • Making the Rules Count

The report covers all agreements and negotiations; ongoing enforcement activities; and other trade activities such as agriculture, digital trade, intellectual property, manufacturing and trade, the environment and trade, labor and trade, and SMEs. There is a detailed section on the WTO. The annexes include trade in 2020 and U.S. trade-related agreements and declarations.

We had also announced that Presidents Biden and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had a virtual meeting on March 1 – although not as “chummy” as the one between Biden and Premier Trudeau.  The White House did issue a statement on the meeting including the objectives discussed by the two Presidents.

Also attached here are regular Mexico reports by Monarch Global Strategies and Business Development Partners.

Katherine Tai, the President’s nominee for USTR, was confirmed on March 17 by the Senate on a 98-0 vote. As you saw in the news, there was already a heated meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and China's most senior foreign policy official, Yang Jiechi, and foreign minister Wang Yi on March 18 in Anchorage. As USTR, Katherine Tai is likely to be involved in future meetings.