US Trade Representative Discusses Ending Forced Labor Practices With Mexico Counterpart

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2021) US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai met with Mexico's Economy Secretary Tatiana Clouthier to discuss cooperation in combating forced labor practices and ending the coronavirus pandemic, the Office of the USTR said.

"Ambassador Tai and Secretary Clouthier discussed the importance of cooperation to help end the COVID-19 pandemic and combat the trade of goods made with forced labor," the Office of the USTR said in a release on Monday.

The US Labor Department has identified 15 Mexican goods that are produced using forced and child labor, including a variety of fruit and vegetable products, clothing, leather goods and pornography.

The two officials also discussed the ongoing battle against the coronavirus, the first meeting of the Free Trade Commission meeting of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and an immediate resumption of authorizations of agricultural biotechnology products in Mexico, the release said.

The Mexican government has been hesitant to grant new permits for the use of genetically engineered crop seeds in the country under the administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador despite the fact that Mexico is dependent on imports of corn for animal feed from the United States.