United States Foreign Trade Policy: A Delicate Balancing Act

World trade today involves one-sixth of everything that is grown or manufactured on this planet. Translated into dollars, this amounted to a value last year of one trillion dollars. Of this amount, $150 billion belongs to American agriculture and industry. The enormous stake of the United States in maintaining and encouraging the growth of its exports has led the present Administration to chart an enlightened and courageous trade policy of promoting free and fair trade.

Rather than take the politically expedient course of protectionism, this Administration has embarked on the course of lowering barriers to fair trade to ensure the increased flow of free trade. This often involves a delicate balancing act between national and foreign interests.