By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - U.S. trade officials met

with representatives from Switzerland this week and are having

discussions with trade officials from Mexico, Central America

and others in the Western Hemisphere, U.S. Trade Representative

Jamieson Greer said on Thursday.

Greer told Fox Business Network's "Mornings with Maria" that

a potential deal with Switzerland could boost manufacturing in

the United States, noting that Swiss companies were "quite

eager" to invest in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, aircraft,

aircraft parts and even gold smelting.

"So we're in close conversations with the Swiss," he said,

noting that he had met with a delegation of Swiss companies that

had met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on

Tuesday. Greer said discussions with Switzerland had been

ongoing for several weeks.

The

group included executives

from shipping company MSC, watchmaker Rolex, investment

firm Partners Group, commodities trader Mercuria,

Cartier-owner Richemont and precious metals firm MKS.

Switzerland has been scrambling to secure a trade agreement

with Trump that could reduce the 39% tariff rate that he slapped

on Swiss imports in August, among the highest duties levied in

his global trade reset.

Greer said he was also having discussions with trading

partners in the Western Hemisphere including in Central America

as well as Mexico, adding that Trump's trade strategy was

continuing to take shape.

"You saw it last week in Asia as he struck deals with a

number of Southeast Asian countries and East Asian countries.

You'll see it again this month in the Western Hemisphere and

elsewhere," he said, without providing any further details.

Greer's office on Thursday changed the dates of a hearing

on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement to December 3-5 from

the initial date of November 17.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Susan Heavey; Editing by Ros

Russell and Andrea Ricci )