Mexico's Economy Secretary, Marcelo Ebrard, proposed reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) during a ministerial meeting at the APEC summit in South Korea.

“We need to reform the World Trade Organization, without a doubt. (…) Because connecting our countries and economies requires rules and trust,” the official argued before his colleagues partners at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

“We are talking about digital trade and sustainable logistics, about how to address the security of supply chains,” Ebrard added in the southern city of Gyeongju.

Mexico is trying to negotiate a trade agreement with the United States that avoids the tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.

Since his return to the White House in January, the Republican magnate has unleashed a trade war that has affected markets and disrupted supply chains for months.

On Wednesday, at a meeting on the sidelines of APEC, Ebrard agreed with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to move forward with “the next steps” in their talks to reach an agreement before 2026.

That year, the review of the USMCA, the free trade agreement shared by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, will begin.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has ruled out the possibility that Trump will impose any special tariffs next Saturday, the deadline initially agreed upon with Washington to resolve the dispute. Mexico is one of the countries most vulnerable to Trump's tariffs, since more than 80% of its exports are destined for the United States under their trade agreement. Ebrard will also hold meetings this Friday in Gyeongju with the Chilean Foreign Minister, Alberto van Klaveren, and with representatives of the South Korean Ministry of Commerce.