US, Malaysian Officials Meet Under Bilateral TIFA

U.S. and Malaysian officials met July 17 in Kuala Lumpur under their Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, and discussed ways to further strengthen trade relations and promote “free, fair and balanced” bilateral trade, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced (here). The two nations during the meeting agreed to work together on outstanding issues, including by establishing working groups related to goods, labor, the environment, intellectual property and financial services, USTR said. The U.S. delegation included USTR and Commerce and State department officials. USTR’s announcement highlighted the U.S.’s nearly $25 billion of goods trade deficit with Malaysia in 2016.