Washington (AFP)

A year after the spectacular G7 clash in Quebec, Donald Trump and the Canadian Prime Minister made common cause on Thursday to defend a trilateral trade deal with Mexico, which US Democrats are reluctant to endorse.

After a working lunch with the US President, Justin Trudeau met with the leaders of both parties in Congress. He went to encourage American officials to adopt a text of crucial economic importance for the three signatory countries.

"With $ 2 billion in trade (per day) between the two countries, we can not say often enough how important this relationship between our two countries is," said the Prime Minister after the meeting, during a press briefing on congressional dome background.

However, Mr. Trudeau insisted: "We will be there to answer questions and help where we can", but no question of interfering in the legislative process of the great neighbor of the South.

The new North American Free Trade Agreement (SUSTA) is to allow the three countries to continue trading billions of goods and services without tariffs.

Mexico ratified the agreement on Wednesday. Canada is ready, but it is prudent to act only when the Americans too will follow suit.

Earlier in the day, in the Oval Office, the US President also extolled the trade agreement he won in Canada and Mexico, which should not only create many jobs but also the trio of being more competitive with the rest of the world.

The three countries "no longer compete so much," Trump said.

"This puts us in a position where we no longer compete but we compete against the rest of the world," insisted the president, who had forced the renegotiation of the Alena, free trade agreement in force between the three countries since 1994, the unfair and killer estimator of American jobs.

For the moment, the ratification poses problem in Washington where Democrats, majority in the House of Representatives, remain on the defensive and want adjustments.

There is also a reluctance to give the president a political victory as the 2020 presidential campaign is launched.

- Arbitrary -

China has also been on the menu of discussions. Tensions are brisk between Ottawa and Beijing since the arrest in December of a leader of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, at the request of the United States.

In retaliation, according to Ottawa, China has arrested two Canadian nationals: former diplomat Michael Kovrig and consultant and businessman Michael Spavor. The Chinese authorities suspect them of espionage but the Prime Minister repeated Thursday the message hammered by Canada that they were "arbitrarily detained".

Trudeau is counting on Trump to intercede on behalf of the two men during his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next week in Osaka on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

Meng Wanzhou's extradition procedure, which may take several years, is scheduled to begin formally in early 2020 in a Vancouver court. Justice will rule on the validity of the US claim, but the final decision will rest with Canadian Justice Minister David Lametti.

? 2019 AFP