Donald Trump set to replace 'job killing disaster' NAFTA with new US - Mexico deal; threatens to slap Canada auto imports with new tariffs

Washington: The Donald Trump administration and Mexico have reached a preliminary accord to end the North American Free Trade Agreement and replace it with a deal that the administration wants to be more favorable to the United States. US president Donald Trump, in announcing the tentative agreement Monday at the White House, said a new deal would be called “the United States-Mexico Trade Agreement. Trump has frequently condemned the 24-year-old NAFTA trade pact as a job-killing “disaster” for the United States. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says periodic reviews will be required once a new agreement is signed. Lighthizer says the agreement will be in force for 16 years. But every six years will bring an opportunity to resolve issues or modernize aspects of the agreement. The parties then would agree to continue the agreement for another 16 years. Mexico is on board with that process; Lighthizer says he hasn’t discussed the new proposal yet with Canada. [caption id=“attachment_5031581” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  US President Donald Trump. AP[/caption] Still, any new agreement is far from final. The administration still needs to negotiate with the third partner in NAFTA, Canada, to become part of any new trade accord. Without Canada, America’s No. 2 trading partner, it’s unclear whether any new U.S. trade agreement with Mexico would be possible. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland is cutting short her diplomatic trip to Europe to head to Washington for trade talks with the United States. Freeland will fly to Washington on Tuesday after the Trump administration and Mexico said they have reached a preliminary accord to end the North American Free Trade Agreement and replace it. A spokesman for Freeland says Canada will only sign a new trade deal that is good for Canada. The president said that he will be calling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “If they’d like to negotiate fairly, we’ll do that,” Trump said. Trump put pressure on Canada by threatening to tax Canadian auto imports and to leave Canada out of a new regional trade bloc. NAFTA reduced most trade barriers between the three countries. But Trump and other critics say it encouraged U.S. manufacturers to move south of the border to exploit low-wage Mexican labor. Talks to overhaul the agreement began a year ago and have proved contentious. U.S. and Mexican negotiators worked over the weekend to narrow their differences. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Monday that Mexico had agreed to ensure that 75 percent of automotive content be produced within the trade bloc (up from a current 62.5 percent) to receive duty-free benefits and that 40 percent to 45 percent be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour. It remain unclear where Monday’s announcement leaves Canada. Adam Austen, a spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, said: “Canada is encouraged by the continued optimism shown by our negotiating partners. Progress between Mexico and the United States is a necessary requirement for any renewed NAFTA agreement.” Austen said the Canadians had been regular contact with the NAFTA negotiators. “We will only sign a new NAFTA that is good for Canada and good for the middle class,” he said, adding that “Canada’s signature is required.” The No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, hailed the “positive step” but said Canada needs to be party to a final deal. “A trilateral agreement is the best path forward,” he said, adding that millions of jobs are at stake.