Exchange rates also affect the policies of governments that aim to promote or regulate tourism. When a currency appreciates, it creates a trade deficit, or a situation where the value of imports exceeds the value of exports. This can harm the balance of payments, or the record of all transactions between a country and the rest of the world. To correct this imbalance, governments may adopt policies that encourage exports and discourage imports, such as subsidies, tariffs, quotas, or exchange controls. These policies can benefit tourism businesses that rely on foreign markets, but they can also hurt tourism businesses that depend on imported inputs. When a currency depreciates, it creates a trade surplus, or a situation where the value of exports exceeds the value of imports. This can improve the balance of payments, but it can also cause inflation, or a general rise in prices. To prevent this from happening, governments may adopt policies that restrain domestic demand and supply, such as taxes, interest rates, or spending cuts. These policies can hurt tourism businesses that rely on domestic markets, but they can also help tourism businesses that compete with imported goods and services. For example, if the Chinese yuan appreciates against the US dollar, the Chinese government may adopt policies that stimulate exports and limit imports, which can benefit Chinese tourism businesses that cater to American tourists, but they can also harm Chinese tourism businesses that use imported inputs.