On May 31, the President formally recommended a one-year extension of most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment for China. [l] MFN treatment allows China's products to enter the United States at the same low tariff rates that apply to virtually all trading partners. Supporters of MFN status for China argue, among other things, that denial of MFN status could bring retaliatory actions that would hurt U.S. agricultural exports. China has threatened to retaliate if the United States denies it MFN treatment. Since China is a leading market for U.S. agricultural products, the threat of such action is a serious matter for U.S. agricultural interests.

This report discusses the increasing international pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear program and how that pressure discourages foreign firms from investing in Iran's energy sector, hindering Iran's efforts to expand oil production. This report discusses the history and progress of the formal U.S. effort to curb energy investment in Iran, which began with the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) in 1996. This report also discusses U.S. concerns that other nations, e.g., U.S. allies, Russia, and China, are not as strict with their economic sanctions against Iran, and how U.S. policymakers are combating this reticence with various pieces of legislation.

Front: Text describes action on Okinawa, in Foochow, Tokyo, Mindanao. Maps: Pacific action flares; Okinawa; Foochow; Tokyo; Mindanao. Relief shown by spot heights and hill shading. Back: Paper bullets. Text describes propaganda leaflets as part of psychological warfare. Illustrations and text detail German and Jap Safe-Conduct Surrender Pass instructions.

This report, intended as a background overview, briefly summarizes U.S. political history with Taiwan and discusses the complications it has for current U.S. policy and for congressional actions.