Liz Truss aims to tackle threats to free trade on five-day US visit

Liz Truss is to visit the US to discuss how to tackle threats to free and fair global trade.

The International Trade Secretary will meet Katherine Tai, the US trade representative, during a five-day visit from Sunday to Thursday, July 15.

The Department for International Trade said meetings would focus on how the two countries can combat market-distorting trade practices such as industrial subsidies and dumping.

The pair also want to defend workers and companies that play by the rules against unfair trading practices in the global trading system, by combatting forced labour and strengthening supply-chain resilience.

Ms Truss will also travel to the West Coast to promote the UK as a leading investment destination ahead of the Global Investment Summit in October, and speak with leading Democrats and the tech industry about how a future UK-US free trade agreement can address digital trade.

Ms Truss said: “I’m visiting the US to build on the progress we’ve already made on tackling market-distorting practices that threaten the future progress and prosperity we can make around the world through free and fair trade.

“Workers in both the UK and US have suffered when their products are unfairly undercut. We must work together with our friends and allies in the US to protect free enterprise from practices like industrial subsidies and intellectual property theft, which give trade a bad name.

“With UK/US trade supporting over a million jobs in both countries, there is clear reason to work together to deepen our trade and investment ties and build back better. Together we can build on our credentials as two great innovating nations, and take this opportunity to shape the future of digital trade.”