Mexico, which is continuing negotiations on a possible trade agreement with the United States, said progress had been made in the talks. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the process was advancing at a press conference on Friday.
Sheinbaum said her meeting with President Donald Trump earlier in the week had gone very well. She said she would not share details with the public until an agreement was reached in the negotiations between the two countries.
Sheinbaum and Trump spoke by phone on Wednesday. Mexico's Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco and Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard also took part in the call.
Tariffs and supply chains
Mexico is seeking lower US tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles. The negotiations also cover rules of origin and measures to strengthen supply chains in North America.
The talks are being held as part of a review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Mexico and the United States have held several rounds of negotiations this year.
The third round, held in July, addressed economic security, labor, agriculture, electronic payment services, steel, aluminum and the automotive sector.
Rules of origin and market access
One of the main issues in the negotiations is the rules of origin that will apply to products containing parts from outside North America. While the United States wants to strengthen regional sourcing requirements, Mexico aims to preserve its access to the US market and maintain integrated production chains.
The process is continuing as Mexico seeks to preserve the USMCA framework and the Trump administration looks for changes to the tariffs it has imposed on certain sectors.
The USMCA created broad economic integration among the three North American countries. Mexico remains highly dependent on the United States, its main export market.
Sheinbaum had previously said that Mexico would defend its sovereignty in the negotiations and work toward terms that would protect Mexican workers, companies and investments.
Trump said on Thursday that he was considering changes to trade relations with Mexico. Sheinbaum also said that progress had been made in the talks on the same day.
