Washington D.C. – In response to United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai’s major speech at the National Press Club, National Foreign Trade Council Vice President for Global Trade Policy Tiffany Smith issued the following reaction:
“The vision for U.S. trade policy articulated today by Ambassador Tai outlines admirable goals for workers, SMEs, stronger supply chains, and sustainable and inclusive trade that we can all agree on. At the same time, the Administration’s perspective undervalues the importance of writing new rules for the global economy through trade agreements that level up standards, create certainty and advance American values and interests.
“The most important thing that the United States Trade Representative can do to build greater supply chain resilience is to work aggressively to address tariffs and nontariff barriers abroad and unlock new global opportunities to benefit America’s families, farmers, manufacturers, workers, consumers, and businesses.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic revealed risks and fears of global supply chains, it also demonstrated that governments and the business community could work together to cut red tape, adapt plans, and pivot supply chains to develop life-saving vaccines in record time and minimize the effects on workers, companies, and consumers.
“We look forward to working with the Biden Administration on commercially-meaningful trade policies that achieve its vision of trade that benefits all.”
###
About the NFTC
The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) is the premier business association advancing trade and tax policies that support access to the global marketplace. Founded in 1914, NFTC promotes an open, rules-based global economy on behalf of a diverse membership of U.S.-based businesses.