The Obama administration may be near a turning point in U.S. trade policy toward China, leaving industry executives pondering the impact on billions of dollars in global apparel and textile commerce.

At stake is a trading relationship involving $30.4 billion worth of products imported from China from January through November 2008. Industry and government experts speculate that President Obama is set to confront what many believe are China's undervalued currency and unfair trade practices.

In his first weeks in office, Obama and administration officials indicated they could move swiftly on China's currency, but they also said a deepening recession is not the time to engage in a trade war, referring to a "Buy American" provision some Democrats wanted in the economic stimulus package. Obama pledged during the campaign to examine the impact of trade on jobs and the economy, leading executives and experts to predict a new policy that could bring stricter interpretation and enforcement of anti-dumping and illegal subsidy laws, particularly relating to Chinese imports.

The controversial "Buy American" initiative seeks to ensure that only U.S. iron, steel, and manufactured goods are used in infrastructure projects. But the president has signaled that he wants to avoid being seen as a protectionist.

"I think it would be a mistake…at a time when worldwide trade is declining for us to start sending a message that somehow we're just looking after ourselves and not concerned with world trade," Obama said last week during a TV interview. "I think we need to make sure that any provisions that are in there are not going to trigger a trade war."

His remarks came after Canada and the European Union urged the "Buy American" provisions be dropped.

Retailers and apparel brands are producing clothing globally in a quota-free environment for the first time in three years, after the elimination on January 1 of quotas on 34 Chinese apparel and textile import categories that had been established in a bilateral accord in 2005. That agreement came about after global quotas were eliminated and Chinese imports to the U.S. surged.

"Clearly, Obama is looking beyond his campaign rhetoric to the realities of today's world," said Kevin Burke, president and chief executive officer of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. "In the atmosphere we are in right now, do we want to erect protectionist barriers that create a trade war? I don't think Obama wants to be leading a trade war."

The president's statement, however, followed tough talk on China and its currency policies from top administration officials. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told members of the Senate Finance Committee that Obama believes China is manipulating its currency, which provoked strong words from China's premier. Then Vice President Joe Biden said the U.S. would "get blunter" with the Chinese to pressure the economic giant to "play by the rules" on trade and currency. Biden said the administration had not made a determination yet on whether China manipulates its currency.

"It's important to continue engagement with China and not give in to the protectionist sentiments," said Mark Jaeger, senior vice president and general counsel for Jockey International. "It's also important to enforce consistently both U.S. and Chinese obligations under various trade agreements. Trade with China is part of the economic solution, and we need to be sensitive to taking steps that undermine that important relationship."

Frank Kelly, former vice president of international trade compliance and government affairs for Liz Claiborne, and now running his own consulting firm, said Obama isn't a "protectionist" but he thinks the President will "tighten trade issues with China, and I think countervailing duties will be the big thing."

If Democrats in Congress prevail with currency manipulation legislation that could impose sanctions on China, Kelly said it will put "a big air of uncertainty over doing business in China."

Some sourcing executives are undeterred by a change in policy toward China and plan to stay the course.

"The early days of the Obama presidency are important for them to establish some bulkheads, but from our perspective and what's going on in the world, it's a footnote we'll take note of and monitor," said Jeff Streader, senior vice president of global sourcing for Guess Inc.

The company won't create a new strategy in anticipation of any policy changes from the U.S. government, he said. The global recession and mounting problems in China, including rising job losses as consumer demand for apparel plummets, are larger concerns for sourcing decisions, Streader said.