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Tuesday, 20 April 2010 | Last Updated: 22 October 2009
Ambassador Kirk met with Brazilian Ambassador Mauro Vieira on Monday to discuss a variety of opportunities for continued cooperation between the U.S. and Brazil.
The U.S.-Brazil trading relationship is large, growing, and balanced. It supports job retention in both countries. In 2008, U.S. exports to Brazil totaled $32.9 billion and imports from Brazil totaled $30.5 billion.
USTR is pleased to announce that the upcoming meeting of the Arbitrator with the parties in the World Trade Organization (WTO) proceeding United States – Laws, Regulations And Methodology for Calculating Dumping Margins ("Zeroing"); Recourse to Article 22.6 of the DSU by the United States (DS294) will be open to public viewing at the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland. This dispute relates to certain U.S. antidumping administrative reviews in which the dumping margin was set to zero if the export price in the United States exceeds the home market price, rather than including the negative value when calculating overall dumping margins.
This meeting will be held to discuss the EU’s request for authorization to retaliate against the United States. At the meeting, the parties will be asked to make opening statements and pose questions or make comments on the other party’s statement. The Arbitrator may also pose questions at the meeting.
The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. CEST, with seats available on a first come, first served basis. In order to attend the meeting, the WTO must receive a completed application form. The form must be completed and submitted by 5:00 p.m. CEST Monday, May 10.
You can find more information on the public session here.
Ambassador Kirk was in Dallas, Texas on Friday to give the keynote address at the World Affairs Council, and spoke of how international trade is helping to create jobs in America.
You can listen to a National Public Radio (NPS) segment on Ambassador Kirk's speech here.
On April 21, United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk will meet with the Congressional Textile Caucus to discuss the state of the American textile industry. This week’s weekly trade spotlight is on the textile industry in America.
Throughout the United States, hundreds of thousands of Americans jobs are supported by the textile industry. This industry is diverse, with workers supporting the manufacture of goods from sewing threads to seatbelts and with mills and factories scattered across rural and urban America. Although over 44 percent of those employed from the textile industry are in Georgia, North Carolina and California, this industry employs Americans in every state.
This industry is discovering that by exporting, businesses can grow and expand. Last year, textile and apparel exports totaled nearly $12 billion. Today, roughly 75 percent of all textiles produced in the United States are exported abroad with the majority of those exports going to countries that America has entered into free trade agreements with. In countries such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic, U.S. produced yarns and fabrics are then fashioned into finished apparel products, ready to be sold in the United States at a cheaper price for American families.
Companies like Seydel International, based out of Pendergrass, Georgia produce chemicals involved in the manufacture of textiles that are exported to over 40 countries and employ approximately 100 workers. Today, exports account for about 20 percent of their total sales. Another small family owned business, William Usdan and Sons Inc, based out of Belleville, New Jersey exports over 15 percent of their specialty textile paper products to countries in South America, where they are made into apparel for American consumers.
What’s more, textile exports create jobs at home and help account for approximately 500,000 American jobs. For example, Glen Raven Inc., a textile producing plant headquartered in South Carolina, employs almost 1,600 workers throughout the United States.
On Ambassador Marantis's last day in Beijing yesterday, the Ambassador continued to pursue U.S. concerns regarding China's "indigenous innovation" by meeting with a group of innovation experts to discuss the best ways for an economy to innovate. He also participated in a press roundtable covering a spectrum of trade matters.
Ambassador Kirk and Treasury Secretary Geithner met on Thursday with Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia for a wide-ranging discussion of the bilateral trade and investment relationship. Currently, Malaysia is the 18th largest U.S. trading partner – with $34 billion in two-way goods trade – and an important investment partner, with more than $13 billion in U.S. foreign direct investment in Malaysia and an increasing amount of Malaysian investment in the United States. They discussed Prime Minister Najib’s New Economic Model, a wide-ranging economic reform program designed to make Malaysia a more developed, entrepreneurial, and innovative economy and to help it achieve high income status by 2020. Ambassador Kirk gave Prime Minister Najib an update on the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, a centerpiece of U.S. engagement in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region. They also discussed joint efforts to conclude the WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations. Acting Foreign Minister Dr. Rais Yatim also attended.
Ambassador Kirk with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib and Treasury Secretary Geithner
U.S. and Malaysian Delegations
This week we received a question about the role of the U.S. Trade Representative. Ken from Arizona asks:
“How, Mr. Ambassador, do your duties fall outside State and/or Commerce Department?”
Ambassador Kirk responds:
“Thank you for your question, Ken. As the U.S. Trade Representative, I am President Obama’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues. My office has the responsibility of developing and coordinating the implementation of U.S. trade policy, in consultation with other federal agencies and Congress.
I represent the United States in our dealings with foreign governments regarding their laws, policies, and practices that affect U.S. trade. I negotiate with individual countries (such as with China), groups of countries (such as in the Administration’s Trans-Pacific Partnership initiative), and in international organizations responsible for trade matters (such as the World Trade Organization). One of my chief responsibilities is to negotiate agreements with my foreign counterparts that reduce trade barriers and create new opportunities for U.S. exports. My office also takes the lead in ensuring that our trading partners live up to their obligations under the agreements they sign with us.
The Department of Commerce and Department of State have trade-related expertise and responsibilities that complement and support USTR’s mission. Each is a member of the USTR-led interagency committee through which the Administration develops and implements U.S. trade policy. These departments contribute knowledge and expertise on U.S. manufacturing and foreign policy.
The Commerce Department plays a leadership role, working with U.S. companies and foreign governments, to promote exports of U.S. manufactured goods. This support is critical if U.S. exporters are to be aware, and take full advantage, of the market opening created by the trade agreements USTR negotiates. Both the Commerce and State Departments oversee a network of in-country U.S. commercial and economic officials posted at U.S Embassies worldwide. These officials play a critical role in carrying out U.S. trade policy. They provide a wealth of information on foreign trade practices that is invaluable in helping the United States reduce barriers to U.S. exports.”
Thank you for continuing our dialogue on trade. Please keep submitting your questions and comments for the Ambassador.
Ambassador Kirk met with the Congressional Dairy Caucus today. During the meeting, Ambassador Kirk had a discussion of negotiations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
On his second day of meetings in Beijing, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis continued discussions on a range of important trade and investment topics, highlighting in every meeting serious U.S. concerns about China's "indigenous innovation" policies.
Ambassador Marantis's meeting with the Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Zhang Xiaoqiang, also covered a number of investment topics, including matters related to initiatives under the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). Ambassador Marantis and Commerce Deputy Under Secretary Michelle O'Neill then met with Vice Minister Ma Xiuhong, their Chinese counterpart on the JCCT, and covered a number of JCCT matters.
Ambassador Marantis also met with Vice Minister Yuan Shuhong from China's State Council Legislative Affairs Office. Among other topics, they discussed a recent measure issued by the State Council that should greatly improve the transparency of China's regulatory process. Ambassador Marantis then met with Vice Minister Cao Jianlin from the Ministry of Science and Technology, a lead agency on China's innovation policy, where discussion focused on many facets of the "indigenous innovation" issue.
Ambassador Marantis ended his day at a gathering of U.S. business people from China and the Asia-Pacific to hear their "on the ground" perspectives on China and other Asia-Pacific issues, including APEC and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Ambassador Marantis and Vice Minister Cao Jianlin
This morning, Ambassador Kirk gave opening remarks at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce/U.S.-ASEAN Business Council breakfast honoring Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung.
Ambassador Kirk and Vietnamese Prime Minister Dzung
Read an excerpt of the statement released after the breakfast and the Ambassador’s full prepared remarks here.
“The gains to Vietnam from economic reform and trade liberalization are resoundingly clear on the streets of that country today.
And our bilateral trade and investment has brought tremendous benefits to the United States as well.
U.S. exports to Vietnam have tripled since Vietnam joined the WTO and in 2009, the United States became the largest foreign investor in Vietnam.
Even with this impressive record of success, this relationship has considerable untapped potential.
We have found willing and able partners in Vietnam. And we will continue to undertake a robust agenda to strengthen and deepen the relationship.”
Vietnam is currently the United States’ 30th largest goods trading partner with $15.4 billion in total (two ways) goods trade during 2009. Goods exports totaled $3.1 billion; Goods imports totaled $12.3 billion. The U.S. good trade deficit with Vietnam was $9.2 billion in 2009.