美国先进技术产品贸易的惊人表现

TRELYSA LONG| FEBRUARY 2026 Over the last decade, U.S. trade performance has deteriorated significantly in advancedindustries. That is a major problem because these industries have high fixed costs and require KEY TAKEAWAYS Across nine groups of advanced technology products tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau,America went from having a net trade surplus of $29 billion in 2014 to a net trade Whereas U.S. imports exceeded exports in five out of nine ATP groups in 2014, importsoutstripped exports in eight of nine ATP groups by 2024. In 2024, America imported a cumulative $762 billion in nine advanced technologyproduct groups, with five major trading partners accounting for 59 percent: the EU, The largest difference in net U.S. ATP trade from 2014 to 2024 came from the EU.Whereas America had $3.3 billion ATP surplus with the EU in 2014, it had a staggering In the same period, net U.S. ATP trade with Mexico fell from a $3.2 billion surplus to a America needs a national power industry strategy that prioritizes strategically importantsectors, directs markets to preserve critical capabilities, balances production with National Power Industry Series This report is part of a series on China’s predatory industrial strategies, their impact on U.S.technological leadership, and how to avoid losing U.S. and allied capabilities in advanced itif.org CONTENTS Key Takeaways................................................................................................................... 1Introduction....................................................................................................................... 2Change in ATP Imports and Exports, 2014–2024.................................................................. 4All Advanced Technology Product Groups .......................................................................... 4Biotechnology................................................................................................................. 6Life Sciences.................................................................................................................. 9Opto-Electronics ........................................................................................................... 11Information and Communications ................................................................................... 14Electronics ................................................................................................................... 16Flexible Manufacturing .................................................................................................. 19Advanced Materials....................................................................................................... 21Aerospace .................................................................................................................... 23Nuclear Technology....................................................................................................... 26Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 28Endnotes......................................................................................................................... 29INTRODUCTION In advanced, globally traded industries, U.S. competitiveness hinges on gaining and sustainingglobal market share. Industries characterized by high fixed costs, particularly those requiringsubstantial investments in research and development (R&D), engineering, and capital equipmentdepend on large customer bases to achieve scale economies, reduce marginal costs, andaccelerate learning from diverse users. By selling into major foreign markets while maintainingstrong domestic market share, U.S. firms can spread innovation costs over greater volumes, The stakes therefore transcend mere economics. National power today depends on strengthacross a spectrum of sectors spanning pure defense production, dual-use technologies employedin both military and commercial applications, and enabling industries that support the broaderindustrial commons. These industries include semiconductors, aerospace, biopharmaceuticals,telecommunications equipment, advanced chemicals, precision machinery, robotics, artificial Despite this, the United States is now running net trade deficits in many strategically importantadvanced industries. In fact, the Census Bureau publishes trade data on 10 advanced technologyproduct (ATP) groups—ranging from biotechnology to nuclear technology—and U.S. trade performance has deteriorated sharply in most of them over the past two decades, signaling anerosion of America’s advanced industrial base. Putting aside the weapons product group, theUnited States ran net trade surpluses in four of the other nine ATP groups in 2014.2But by Contrary to prevailing narratives, China has not been the primary driver of the deterioration. WhileU.S. net trade with China has consistently been in defi