The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced several senior staff positions (here). The positions now filled include Jamieson Greer as chief of staff, Payne Griffin as deputy chief of staff, Pamela Marcus as deputy chief of staff for operations, Stephen Vaughn as general counsel, Timothy Reif as senior adviser, Christopher Jackson as assistant USTR for congressional affairs, Cameron Bishop as deputy assistant USTR for congressional affairs, and Emily Davis as deputy assistant USTR for public and media affairs.
U.S. and Indonesian government officials met June 12-13 under their bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, and agreed on next steps for resolving bilateral issues and further building trade relations, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said (here). U.S. officials outlined the Trump administration’s focus on “making concrete progress” on agriculture, high-tech products, and digital and financial services, among other areas, USTR said. The two nations discussed a work plan to address IP concerns, “recognizing the urgency of progress,” as USTR listed Indonesia on its Special 301 Priority Watch List (see 1704280026). U.S. and Indonesian officials also met with stakeholders from both countries on key trade issues of concern, USTR said.
The Trump administration continued its push for “free and fair trade” in international fora in a statement (here) released by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. The statement also seemed to embrace that U.S. trade remedies must be World Trade Organization-consistent. “We acknowledge the right to use World Trade Organization (WTO)-consistent trade remedies to tackle such practices and enforce our rights,” the statement says. “The United States recognizes the importance of international trading systems, including WTO-consistent trade agreements. We also commit to working with other Members to improve the functioning of the WTO, to ensure full and transparent implementation and effective and timely enforcement of the WTO agreements as negotiated and to make the utmost efforts to achieve a successful 11th WTO Ministerial Conference." USTR urged the elimination of "trade-distorting practices such as dumping" and "forced technology transfers" so as to "foster a truly level playing field."
In a “cordial” first meeting with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressed a commitment to advancing “free and fair trade for level playing fields in the global economy,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a statement. Lighthizer and Malmstrom met on the margins of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. They highlighted a shared interest in strengthening the U.S.-EU trade relationship, and topics also included expanding export opportunities and World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting preparations, USTR said.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will lead the U.S. delegation at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council meeting June 7-8 in Paris, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (here). Lighthizer will advocate at the meeting for “free and fair trade policies” that eliminate trade barriers and reduce trade deficits, USTR said. Lighthizer will meet bilaterally with several key trading partners on the margins of the OECD meeting, USTR said.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on June 1 welcomed World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevedo to discuss the “important role of the WTO in the global economy,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said (here). Lighthizer expressed support for “improving the WTO” and a commitment to working closely with trading partners to increase the organization’s ability to “promote free and fair trade,” USTR said. Lighthizer communicated a goal of building a strong working relationship with Azevedo and WTO member economies, USTR said.
Leaders of an organization representing U.S. manufacturing, agriculture, and labor left meetings with top Trump administration trade officials last week feeling encouraged with their approach toward trade, including a focus on reducing the U.S. trade deficit and trade enforcement, Coalition for a Prosperous America Chairman Dan DiMicco said in a statement (here). “Already we are seeing far more aggressive investigation and enforcement directed at unfair foreign trade practices in a break from past administrations’ reluctant enforcement efforts,” CPA CEO Michael Stumo said after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “We had deep discussions about currency manipulation and misalignment as well as the different problems America faces from the strategic trade nationalism of China, Japan, Germany and other counties.” DiMicco said that under the leadership of Lighthizer and Ross, the U.S. has a “chance” to craft a strategy to grow U.S. manufacturing and agriculture “rather than accept decline.”
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on May 30 called on Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to help the U.S. balance its current $32 billion trade deficit with Vietnam. Speaking during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinner, Lighthizer said the deficit, which has increased $25 billion over the last decade, “presents new challenges” but indicates a “considerable potential” to improve bilateral trade, according to prepared remarks (here). “Prime Minister Phuc is uniquely positioned to help us achieve that objective,” Lighthizer said. “Since becoming Prime Minister in 2016, he has shown that he is committed to maintaining high economic growth and promoting Vietnam’s competitiveness and integration into the global economy. He has focused on tackling graft and corruption, and promoting broad economic reform, including continuing to privatize Vietnam’s state-owned enterprises.” During a meeting earlier in the day with Phuc, the two officials discussed improving the trade relationship through initiatives under the U.S.-Vietnam Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, according to the agency (here). President Donald Trump was set to meet with Phuc at 3 p.m. on May 31 at the White House.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer attended the Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group May 20-21 in Hanoi, where discussions touched on strengthening intellectual property rights and eliminating barriers to agricultural trade, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said (here). “It was important to me to come to APEC first and foremost to reaffirm the President’s strong commitment to promoting bilateral free and fair trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region,” Lighthizer said in a statement. “APEC provides a great opportunity to focus energy on the barriers to its stated objective of free and open trade -- a goal that cannot be met without tackling trade-distorting measures that have led to massive U.S. trade imbalances in the region." Lighthizer also met with trade ministers of Canada, Japan, Mexico, Vietnam, China and Australia, USTR said.
The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is seeking comments to inform the development of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s objectives for the anticipated NAFTA renegotiation, the TPSC announced (here). Specifically, the TPSC is asking for information on customs and trade facilitation issues that should be addressed, trade remedy issues, possible rules of origin changes, potential impacts of removal of tariffs and other trade barriers to U.S. producers and consumers and treatment of particular goods on the Harmonized Tariff Schedule and other issues. USTR will accept comments through June 12, and a hearing on proposed renegotiation topics will take place on June 27 at 9 a.m. at the International Trade Commission.