U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer delivered President Trump’s Trade Policy Agenda and Annual Report to Congress this week, outlining how the administration is promoting free, fair and reciprocal trade and strongly enforcing U.S. trade laws.

As part of the president’s trade policy agenda, the Trump administration will seek an extension of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) until 2021 to give him and the administration the ability to negotiate trade agreements that Congress can only vote up or down on.

As part of its trade agenda for 2018, the Trump Administration will continue renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to modernize and rebalance the 24-year-old trade pact, as well as negotiations to amend the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) in order to seek fairer, more reciprocal trade.

The Trump administration also said it intends to reach other agreements designed to promote fair, balanced trade and support American prosperity.  As part of this effort, the United States and the United Kingdom established a Trade and Investment Working Group in July 2017 to lay the groundwork for commercial continuity and prepare for a potential future trade agreement once the UK leaves the European Union. The administration will also continue preparing for other potential bilateral agreements, including in the Indo-Pacific and African regions.

The Trump administration said it will also “work aggressively to address trade imbalances, promote fair and reciprocal trade relationships, enforce U.S. rights under existing trade agreements, and work with like-minded countries to defend our common prosperity and security against economic aggression.”

“Countries that are committed to market-based outcomes and that are willing to provide the United States with reciprocal opportunities in their home markets will find a true friend and ally in the Trump administration,” the President’s Trade Policy Agenda states.  “Countries that refuse to give us reciprocal treatment or who engage in other unfair trading practices will find that we know how to defend our interests,” the release said.

The administration will work with all WTO members who share the U.S. goal of using the organization to create rules that will lead to more efficient markets, more trade and greater wealth for our citizens.  However, the United States is also concerned that the WTO is not operating as the contracting parties envisioned and, as a result, is undermining America’s ability to act in its national interest, the administration said .  The Trump administration will work with other like-minded countries to address these long-standing concerns.