Mexico will “try very hard’’ on reducing immigration, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday, while announcing the southern neighbour would begin increasing purchases of U.S. agricultural products.
On Friday, Trump announced he would not slap a 5 per cent tariff on all goods from Mexico, as he had threatened, saying a deal was reached on stemming flows of migrants from Central America.
“Mexico will try very hard, and if they do that, this will be a very successful agreement for the United States and Mexico!’’ Trump said on Twitter.
He later proclaimed: “MEXICO HAS AGREED TO IMMEDIATELY BEGIN BUYING LARGE QUANTITIES OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT FROM OUR GREAT PATRIOT FARMERS!’’
Mexico is the U.S.’ most important trading partner, having surpassed in the first quarter of this year, both Canada and China.
It remains unclear what additional goods Mexico would buy from the U.S.
Trump had faced domestic blow-back over his plan to put tariffs on Mexico, including from the business sector and his own Republican Party, amid fears integrated supply chains would suffer, along with the generally good relationship with the southern neighbour.
The U.S. president had also been pushing for an upgrade to the NAFTA free trade deal with Canada and Mexico.
The tariffs had made that more unlikely.
As part of the immigration deal, asylum seekers would be returned to Mexico to await their hearings in U.S. courts.
Mexico has also pledged to beef up security on its own southern border. (dpa/NAN)