Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, co-authored a letter urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and the USTR to develop digital trade rules in the Indo-Pacific. The letter, signed by 18 leading organizations, represents a coalition of small and large companies and a broad cross-section of the American economy. The following statement can be attributed to Carl Holshouser, SVP, TechNet:
“The U.S. is the global leader in developing and deploying innovative digital technologies that drive economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen U.S. competitiveness. That’s why it’s crucial to protect the interests of U.S. workers and bolster opportunities for American companies in any trade agreement.
“Recent provisions in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement set a high standard for digital economy rules in trade agreements. As additional governments push for digital trade approaches that do not represent America’s best interests, we encourage the USTR to follow the framework set in USMCA when pursuing new agreements or renegotiating existing ones. The U.S. must play a leading role in establishing global norms governing digital trade to help foster innovation, create new opportunities for American businesses and workers, and increase America’s position as a global leader in technology and innovation.”