There are no in-person trade talks between China and the United States on the schedule right now. A White House official says there?s still ?much work left to be done? in the negotiation process. The Director of the National Economic Council says, ?We?re on the phone talking with them every day, but no one has made any concrete trip plans yet.? Administration officials have been quick to caution that an agreement with China isn?t ?imminent.? That?s despite President Trump?s desire to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping sometime this month to hopefully get a deal between the world?s biggest economies wrapped up.
Speaking of trade news, Trump recently told reporters he?ll be sending the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to Capitol Hill for ratification ?very shortly.? That would jump-start a 90-day clock during which lawmakers would have to approve or reject the president?s signature trade deal. The NAFTA 2.0 deal is likely the biggest item on the congressional agenda this year. While the submission will kickstart the administration?s final push for support, there are still many Democrats that are working on changes to the deal?s drug pricing and labor enforcement provisions.
