MEXICO CITY, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday stressed the importance of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for North American economic integration, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the trade pact as irrelevant.
Speaking at a press conference, Sheinbaum said the agreement underpins economic stability among the three countries and is strongly supported by U.S. business leaders who recognize its benefits. She rejected Trump's claim that the USMCA has cost U.S. jobs, citing studies showing that for every job created in Mexico as a result of the USMCA, three jobs are created in the United States.
Sheinbaum highlighted specific benefits of the USMCA, such as the elimination of tariffs on products that comply with the rules of origin established in the agreement, which stipulates that most inputs come from North America.
Trump said during a visit to a Ford plant on Tuesday that the United States does not need products manufactured by its trading partners, particularly automobiles from Mexico and Canada, calling the agreement "irrelevant."
Mexico's president announced she will pursue talks with Trump after Jan. 20 to address pending issues, including the review of the USMCA, security and the joint organization of the FIFA World Cup taking place in June. ■
