China opts for currency push 

Asia giant wants to make the renminbi part of an ubiquitous monetary unit used in official transactions around the world.

China is bidding to enter the heart of global finance by establishing its currency, the renminbi, as part of an ubiquitous monetary unit used in official transactions around the world.

The issue of whether the Chinese should be part of the International Monetary Fund’s Special Drawing Right, the composite reserve currency used in official financing, is highly technocratic, but the political questions at stake go to the core of world money and power – and will be discussed, in the background, at the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington this week.

The decision on a new SDR structure will influence how China and its currency can play a bigger part in driving world trade, investment and capital flows.

However, renminbi’s lack of formal convertibility for transactions that shift capital inside and outside the country, where Beijing is reluctant to abolish all controls. In addition, China still has to release more statistics to the Fund about its monetary reserves and other matters.

The main conditions for the renminbi to pass the SDR test are that it should be widely used in trade and be “freely usable” in international payments and asset management. Although a long way behind the dollar, the renminbi has made impressive strides recently and is challenging the euro in several key fields.

Source: Usatoday– China opts for currency push

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