Salt Lake, Mexican chambers sign agreement to promote trade.

• Author: Christensen, Lisa
• Position: Around Utah

Salt Lake City -- Utah strengthened ties with one of its biggest trading partners with the signing of a show of support of existing trade agreements with Mexico. The agreement between the SALT LAKE CHAMBER and Association of Mexican Chambers of Commerce, or CONCANACO SERVYTUR, reaffirms the strong business ties between both countries, said Utah Sen. Luz Escamilla (D-District 1).

"There is a desire from the business communities both in Mexico and the United States to continue working and take place in a way that helps both countries and, in our case, help the state of Utah," said Escamilla.

The event was attended by state legislators, including Senate President Wayne Niederhauser (R-District 10), who has been outspoken for the need for greater proactivity on the part of the Legislature in promoting trade.

Lane Beatty, CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber, said his organization believed wholeheartedly in preserving and bolstering existing trade agreements. "Utah's economy has become interlaced with the global market," he said. "Today, one in four jobs is supported by international trade, and when you look at our trade partners, Mexico is at the top of the list."

Mexico is Utah's third-largest trade partner, with trade between the two countries totaling more than $4 billion, Beatty said. Beatty said the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) should be sustained, to protect trade between the U.S. and Mexico, though he allowed that it should be updated to include such modern facets of business as e-commerce and others.

Donald Salazar, chairman of the board for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce agreed that NAFTA should be updated to reflect the changing times but otherwise kept...