Washington, D.C. – The United States held meetings this week with Mexico on the latter’s interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. Deputy United States Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis met with Mexican Undersecretary of Foreign Trade Francisco Rosenzweig on Wednesday. The officials discussed each government’s engagement with its domestic stakeholders and consultations with other TPP partners on Mexico’s interest in joining the TPP talks. Ambassador Marantis also provided an update on the status of the TPP negotiations.
The United States, along with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, are working to craft a high-standard agreement that addresses new and emerging trade issues and 21st-century challenges through the TPP. In November 2011, Mexico expressed its interest in joining the TPP negotiations. Mexico and the United States, along with Canada, are members of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which entered into force in 1994. Mexico is the United States’ second largest export market, with exports increasing over 20 percent in 2011.
