Visit to the United States

This week I willvisit the United States to advance trade and investment opportunities forAustralia.

In Washington D.C.I will meet with my counterpart, United States Trade Representative RobertLighthizer, to build on the strong Australia-United States trade relationship.We will also discuss the global trading system.

While inWashington I will also meet with leading members of the United States Congressand Senate to further strengthen ties between Australia and the United States.

In New York I willmeet with major investors and build support for the third Australian EconomicForum to be held in Sydney in early 2018.

The United Statesis Australia's second largest trading partner. Our trade and investmentrelationship has flourished under the Australia-United States Free TradeAgreement (AUSFTA). Since it entered into force, two-way trade has grown from$42 billion in 2005 to $64 billion in 2016.

More than 10,000Australian businesses now export goods to the United States.

Two-way investmentbetween Australia and the United States has also grown under AUSFTA and wasworth $1.48 trillion last year. The United States is the number onedestination for Australian investment and the United States is our biggestinvestor.

The visit to the United Statescomes after a successful trade delegation to Mexico. From the United States Iwill travel to Morocco for a meeting of World Trade Organisation (WTO)ministers.