U.S. vows to "get tougher" on trade enforcement

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said Wednesday that Washington will "get tougher" on trade enforcement against so-called "unfair trade practices" from its partners around the world,

Strengthening trade enforcement has been "a priority" for President Barack Obama this year, Kirk said in a testimony regarding trade issues to Senate, adding that the new Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC) will "challenge more aggressively unfair trade practices."

Obama last month signed an executive order to establish the ITEC. It was said to serve as the primary forum within the federal government for the USTR and other agencies to coordinate enforcement of U.S. trade rights under international trade agreements and enforcement of domestic trade laws.