I believe our friends want to side with us in a free-market, liberalized system. They just need to know that the U.S. will be there for the long haul. We must understand: The rules of the road for the 21st century economy are being written right now. Privacy, intellectual property, the way capital moves across borders today–these are all critical issues for the coming decades.

So the question is: Will we set the tone or will it be others who don’t share our values or ideals? Strong trade agreements and economic partnerships set a high standard and bring our allies into the fold—and they make us more secure. In short, free trade must be always be an active instrument of American leadership.