USTR

The U.S. and China on Friday battled over cybersecurity at the World Trade Organization, each arguing that the other's domestic measures could affect data involved in trade.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she held a “constructive” meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Thursday to discuss the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which she made clear was far from certain to win Democrats' approval.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Foreign Trade Council and other business groups are calling on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to push for improved market access, eradicate Section 232 restrictions and coordinate approaches to address third-country trade barriers in a bilateral trade pact with Tokyo.

The U.S. and China have reached a long-expected ceasefire deal, but as the difficult work of negotiating some form of agreement between the world’s largest economies begins, success will hinge on the Trump administration’s ability to present a united front as it negotiates with Beijing.

BUENOS AIRES -- U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is confident the trilateral trade deal inked by the U.S., Mexico and Canada will garner enough support in Congress -- and he is adamant that “a very high number of Democrats” will vote for the implementing legislation.

“I think it will be successful. There will be a good discussion and talk about very serious issues and I’m sure at the end there will be a positive feeling on behalf of both.”

BUENOS AIRES – The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement was signed on Friday without a resolution on U.S. Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs despite last-minute negotiations, sources tell Inside U.S. Trade.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will examine how to “equalize” the tariffs the U.S. and China apply to each other’s automobile exports, he said on Wednesday.