negotiators canada mexico unite state kick ambitious first round trade talk wednesday countries try fast-track deal modernize north american free trade agreement early next year follow significant moments history deal june 10 1990 u.s. president george h.w bush mexican president carlos salinas de gortari issue statement endorse new comprehensive free trade pact two neighbor order talk begin canada would join talk 1991 pave way three-way negotiations unite state canada ink bilateral free trade deal 1988 nov. 1992 run independent president unite state ross perot claim propose north american free trade agreement nafta would lead giant suck sound job rush mexico bill clinton win election defeat incumbent bush perot win 19 percent vote place strong third dec. 17 1992 nafta sign outgo bush mexico salinas de gortari canadian prime minister brian mulroney create world large free trade area time part aim make hard president-elect clinton pursue major change clinton endorse deal insist environmental labor side agreements jan. 1994 nafta come effect mayan indian guerrilla army southern mexico launch arm rebellion neo-liberalism explicitly free trade deal declaration war mexican government lead days fight dozens deaths rebel retreat jungle nov. 30 1999 tens thousands anti-globalization protesters converge u.s. city seattle lead widespread riot coincide ministerial conference world trade organization seek launch new international trade talk protest underscore grow scatter opposition free trade deal like nafta july 16 2004 senior trade officials canada unite state mexico issue joint statement tout decade worth expand trade north america three-way-trade double reach 623 billion cumulative foreign direct investment increase 1.7 trillion compare pre-nafta level dec. 11 2001 china formally join world trade organization integrate asian giant deeply global economy ease trade china intensify trend see since nafta come effect u.s. trade deficit soar 800 billion 2006 jan. 2008 nafta fully implement last police come effect many sectors nafta stipulate trade barriers would gradually phase design smooth economic shock vulnerable industries time trade within three north american nations triple since nafta begin july 19 2016 billionaire businessman political outsider donald trump formally clinch republican presidential nomination win traditionally pro-free-trade party nod part denounce nafta call bad trade deal ever aug. 16 2017 high-stakes talk aim modernize nafta kick washington u.s. mexican officials aim conclude new pact early 2018 elections late year nations might derail negotiations second round talk due take place mexico september oppose start rocky history nafta