Beijing/Washington | Reuters – The United States and China escalated their acrimonious trade war on Thursday, implementing punitive 25 percent tariffs on $16 billion worth of each other’s goods, even as mid-level officials from both sides resumed talks in Washington. The world’s two largest economies have now slapped tit-for-tat tariffs on a combined $100 billion of products […] Read more
U.S.-China talks on trade war resume as new tariffs kick in
NAFTA teams ready to ‘start solving’ stalled issues, Mexico says
Washington | Reuters — Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo said on Friday that the negotiating teams for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are ready to kick off talks again after they stalled last month. NAFTA talks between the U.S., Mexico and Canada had stalled since June when the U.S. imposed tariffs on Mexican […] Read more
U.S. soybeans stay on China’s retaliation list for Trump tariffs
Washington/Beijing | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump said he was pushing ahead with hefty tariffs on US$50 billion of Chinese imports on Friday, and the smoldering trade war between the world’s two largest economies showed signs of igniting as Beijing immediately vowed to respond in kind. Trump laid out a list of more than […] Read more
China agrees to import more ag commodities, fuels from U.S.
Washington | Reuters — China has agreed to significantly increase its purchases of U.S. goods and services, the two countries said Saturday, but made no mention of a US$200 billion target the White House had touted earlier. Beijing and Washington agreed they would keep talking about measures under which China would import more energy and […] Read more
NAFTA nations ‘nowhere near’ a deal, USTR says
Washington/New York | Reuters — The top U.S. trade official on Thursday poured cold water on the prospect of an imminent breakthrough in talks to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) hours after Canada’s prime minister struck a positive note. “The NAFTA countries are nowhere near close to a deal,” U.S. Trade Representative […] Read more
U.S. pushing for NAFTA deal ahead of Thursday deadline
Washington | Reuters — The United States is still pushing for a deal to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the White House said on Wednesday, while a top Mexican official held out the possibility of an agreement in the coming weeks. President Donald Trump is committed to getting a better agreement with […] Read more
NAFTA ‘hot topics’ said unresolved as deal deadline looms
Washington | Reuters — U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Monday that none of the contentious issues in a new NAFTA trade deal appear to have been resolved, diminishing chances of meeting a Thursday deadline to notify U.S. lawmakers of an agreement. If the notification is not sent by Thursday, U.S. House Speaker Paul […] Read more
U.S. trade chief says NAFTA approval on ‘thin ice’ without deal soon
Washington/Mexico City | Reuters –– U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Tuesday that if a deal to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement cannot be reached with Canada and Mexico in about three weeks, its approval by the U.S. Congress could be in jeopardy. Lighthizer said at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event […] Read more
U.S. to export pork to Argentina after 26 years
Washington/Chicago | Reuters — U.S. pork exporters will soon be free to ship meat to Argentina for the first time in 26 years after the two countries thrashed out an agreement to overturn an Argentinian import ban. The deal is a sliver of good news for U.S. farmers facing trade tariffs and disruption to exports […] Read more
No breakthrough at NAFTA talks, U.S. timeline could be in doubt
Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — The U.S., Mexico and Canada still have to resolve major issues around NAFTA, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday, casting doubt that the quick deal sought by Washington would materialize. Freeland met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo for several hours on Friday […] Read more
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