U.S. trade chief Tai sees ‘frank and honest’ discussions on North American trade deal

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai’s ‘everything on the table’ approach to trade negotiations and foreign policy relations has been front and centre in the press in recent weeks in her push to accelerate economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic 

Tai put it on the line during a Tuesday press conference, stating that an initial meeting of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement’s governing body will include “frank and honest” discussions, and she will not be afraid to use the agreement’s enforcement tools.

“I expect my Canadian and Mexican counterparts to be very frank and honest with me about how they feel about U.S. implementation”

“I expect my Canadian and Mexican counterparts to be very frank and honest with me about how they feel about U.S. implementation, and I will be just as honest with them about concerns that we have in Mexico in Canada,” Tai told a Council of the Americas event.

She said the first meeting of the USMCA’s Free Trade Commission, which includes the trade ministers of the three member countries, will take place in coming weeks.