As prepared for delivery:
Thank you to the Government of Mexico, including Secretaries Clouthier, Ebrard, and Ramírez, for hosting today’s meeting of the High-Level Economic Dialogue. It is an honor to be here to represent the United States.
Ambassador Katherine Tai and I remain excited about serving as co-leads for the United States in this important dialogue.
As Deputy United States Trade Representative, one of my chief responsibilities is the North American relationship, including the continued implementation and enforcement of the USMCA – which is the foundation of our economic and trade relationship.
It’s been two years since we entered into this new trade agreement. Along with our neighbor and ally to the north, Canada, we are all recommitting to our regional economic partnership.
The USMCA represents a high-standard, high-ambition trade agreement that promotes the rights of our workers, advances our environmental priorities, and creates new opportunities for our producers.
The HLED provides a framework to engage collaboratively with Mexico on key projects that complement and fortify the foundation of the USMCA. The HLED helps advance our regional economic integration and collective prosperity.
Our partnership under the HLED supports the development and implementation of worker-centered economic policies, a top priority of the Biden-Harris Administration.
For example, we are coordinating joint efforts in a number of areas including:
- Promoting innovation and our efforts to invest in entrepreneurs and SMEs;
- Expanding access to economic opportunities for under-represented groups; and
- Pursuing strategies for joint workforce development that prioritize the technological skills and training needed to meet the demands of the 21st century.
These objectives can only make us stronger as a region and reflect the values of the Biden-Harris Administration to ensure that all citizens can participate in, and benefit from, our economic policies.
USTR remains committed and ready to help guide this relationship forward - along with Secretaries Blinken and Raimondo - and my friends and colleagues on the Mexican side.
Thank you.
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