December 10, 2020

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President-elect Joe Biden has selected Katherine Tai, the chief trade lawyer for the House Ways and Means Committee, to serve as U.S. trade representative, four sources familiar with the decision said on Wednesday.

Tai, 45, who won the backing of congressional Democrats, labor and business circles in recent weeks, played a key role in negotiating stronger labor provisions with the Trump administration in the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal.

If confirmed as Biden’s “trade czar,” Tai will play a pivotal role in helping to rebuild ties with key allies, re-energize manufacturing at home and punish Beijing for anti-competitive trade practices.

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