World Trade Week, 2004

Proclamation 7788 of May 14, 2004

World Trade Week, 2004

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Participating in the world economy makes America's
economy stronger. By opening new markets for American
products and services, bringing lower prices and more
choices to American consumers, and attracting foreign
companies to invest and hire in the United States, free
and fair trade helps create better jobs for American
workers. During World Trade Week, we celebrate the
benefits trade brings to our citizens, our economy, and
to countries and people around the world.

Since World War II, the United States has led the world
in advancing trade to create jobs for American workers,
increase choice for consumers, and ensure that quality
American goods and services are sold on every
continent. Today, millions of American jobs depend on
our goods and services being sold overseas, and
foreign-owned companies and their suppliers employ
millions of Americans here at home.

My Administration has aggressively negotiated trade
agreements that slash foreign tariffs and remove the
barriers to selling American goods and services around
the world. Since 2001, we have entered into free trade
agreements with Chile and Singapore and concluded
negotiations with Australia, Morocco, the Dominican
Republic, and five countries in Central America. Free
trade agreement negotiations with Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru, Panama, Bahrain, Thailand, and five member
countries of the Southern African Customs Union are in
progress or about to begin. We are also working with
our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere to create a
Free Trade Area of the Americas that will form the
world's largest common market and improve the lives of
citizens in America and these countries. By opening
foreign markets to American exports and encouraging
foreign countries to set up operations in the United
States, all of these agreements help create more and
better jobs in our Nation. They also help increase
prosperity for our workers.

For American businesses and their employees to continue
to outperform other countries, America must remain the
best place to do business and invest capital. In
addition, we must ensure that our citizens are prepared
for the high-skilled jobs our economy is creating. By
fostering an environment where the entrepreneurial
spirit flourishes and by providing workers with the
best skills and education in the world, we can maintain
our country's economic leadership and help all our
citizens achieve a better life.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim May 16 through May 22, 2004,
as World Trade Week. I encourage all Americans to
observe this week with events, trade shows, and
educational programs that celebrate the benefits of
trade to our Nation and the global economy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand four, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-eighth.

(Presidential Sig.)B