SALT LAKE CITY –The Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance applauded the new trade deal between the U.S. and Mexico, saying the city and Utah as a whole will benefit from the agreement.
President Trump announced the new trade agreement in the Oval Office Monday, which he said could replace or restart negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Derek Miller, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Busines Alliance, issued the following statement regarding the trade deal:
“We applaud the Trump Administration for its work on the trade agreement between the United States and Mexico. Utah is a globally minded, internationally engaged state that benefits from strong and fair trade agreements. Ultimately, tariffs are a tax on consumers that increase costs to products, from avocados to houses. Strong trade agreements provide companies with the predictability and stability they need to compete in the global marketplace. That is why our message on trade has been ‘make deals not war!’ Mexico is one of Utah’s top trading partners, and exports from Utah to Mexico have grown by over 300% in the last ten years. Utah trade with Canada is even higher at over $3 billion in goods and services from Utah to Canada, so we are hopeful that Canada will join Mexico on the new trade deal or forge a new trade agreement directly with the United States. A trade agreement with Mexico outlines the ‘rules of the game’ so Utah companies can get in the game and win.”
