After wrapping up a trade agreement with the European Union, the United States now will focus on striking a deal with Japan and the United Kingdom.
"The United States is consulting closely with Japan on bilateral and multilateral issues related to steel and aluminum, with a focus on the impacts of overcapacity on the global steel and aluminum markets, the need for like-minded countries to take collective action to address the root causes of the problem and the climate impacts of the sectors," the Department of Commerce said in a statement. "As treaty allies who share democratic values, the United States is committed to working together with Japan to address the challenges of the 21st century, while supporting our industries and workers. The United States looks forward to working with Japan and other partners to restore market orientation and tackle carbon emissions across all types of production in the steel and aluminum industry."
The department issued a similar statement on talks with the United Kingdom.
"The United States and the UK are each other’s biggest investors, with trade in goods and services between the United States and the UK worth over $250 billion in 2020," it said. "We are committed to enhancing that relationship yet further and plan to resume a range of talks on trade and economic issues."
The increased movement in the negotiations prompted attention on social media.
"Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says that with the EU steel and aluminum tariffs out of the way, the U.S. can now negotiate with other allies like Japan and the U.K. to remove duties on THEM," journalist Eric Martin tweeted. "'I think we'll get there,' @Raimondo tells @AdamPosen in @PIIE's #NextSTEPConference."
