US, Mexican leaders sign joint declaration on USMCA enforcement

WASHINGTON, July 8 (KUNA) -- US President Donald J. Trump and his Mexican counterpart Lopez Obrador on Wednesday signed a joint declaration, celebrating the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The landmark trade agreement replaces the 25-year North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of January 1994.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, "Today we celebrate the historic victory we achieved together just days ago when NAFTA was officially terminated, one of the worst trade deals in history and replaced with a brand-new beautiful USMCA." "We want to thank Canada also. I spoke with and will be speaking to the prime minister (Justin Trudeau) in a little while," he noted.
"This landmark agreement will bring countless jobs from overseas back to North America, and our countries will very big beneficiaries.
"It is the largest clearest and most advanced trade deal ever reached by any country, and it will bring enormous prosperity to both American and Mexican workers and Canada," Trump stressed.
"We have also worked closely the battle against the coronavirus together, saving countless thousands of lives. It has been my honor to help Mexico procure 600 ventilators, and it's going to be a higher number than that.
"We will sign a joint declaration committing ourselves to a shared future of prosperity, security, and harmony," Trump went on. "This is truly a proud moment in history for both of our nations Mexico and the United States. With this signing the pledge the close and continued friendship between the United States and Mexico," he added.
On his part, the Mexican leader said, "My visit to a great extent has to do with the importance right now in this time of world economic crisis. The importance of entering into effect the Mexico-US-Canada agreement." "Having been able to close this deal constitutes a great accomplishment benefiting all three nations and our peoples," Obrador pointed out.
"This agreement is a great option to produce, create jobs, and foster trade without having to go so far away from our homes, cities, states, and nations," he added.
Trump, who used to refer to NAFTA as "the worst trade deal ever made," made one of his campaign pledges in 2016 to replace it with a new one. In 2018, he and the Canadian and Mexican leaders reached USMCA which went into force early this July. (end) rsr.gb