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  • China: Time For a New Global Currency

    China: Time For a New Global Currency

    Tuesday, March 24, 2009 8:21 AM

    China is calling for a new global currency controlled by the International Monetary Fund, stepping up pressure ahead of a London summit of global leaders for changes to a financial system dominated by the U.S. dollar and Western governments.

    The comments, in an essay by the Chinese central bank governor released late Monday, reflect Beijing's growing assertiveness in economic affairs. China is expected to press for developing countries to have a bigger say in finance when leaders of the Group of 20 major economies meet April 2 in London to discuss the global crisis.

    Gov. Zhou Xiaochuan's essay did not mention the dollar by name but said the crisis showed the dangers of relying on one nation's currency for international payments. In an unusual step, the essay was published in both Chinese and English, making clear it was meant for an international audience.

    "The crisis called again for creative reform of the existing international monetary system towards an international reserve currency," Zhou wrote.

    http://moneynews.newsmax.com/streett...mo_code=7CBA-1

    Peoples Bank of China http://www.pbc.gov.cn/english/


    Reform the International Monetary System


    Zhou Xiaochuan



    The outbreak of the current crisis and its spillover in the world have confronted us with a long-existing but still unanswered question,i.e., what kind of international reserve currency do we need to secure global financial stability and facilitate world economic growth, which was one of the purposes for establishing the IMF? There were various institutional arrangements in an attempt to find a solution, including the Silver Standard, the Gold Standard, the Gold Exchange Standard and the Bretton Woods system. The above question, however, as the ongoing financial crisis demonstrates, is far from being solved, and has become even more severe due to the inherent weaknesses of the current international monetary system.

    Theoretically, an international reserve currency should first be anchored to a stable benchmark and issued according to a clear set of rules, therefore to ensure orderly supply; second, its supply should be flexible enough to allow timely adjustment according to the changing demand; third, such adjustments should be disconnected from economic conditions and sovereign interests of any single country. The acceptance of credit-based national currencies as major international reserve currencies, as is the case in the current system, is a rare special case in history. The crisis again calls for creative reform of the existing international monetary system towards an international reserve currency with a stable value, rule-based issuance and manageable supply, so as to achieve the objective of safeguarding global economic and financial stability..... cont.

  • #2
    Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

    Having now read the full text of the paper, I want to add my initial reactions. One thing is quite clear to me, they are trying to provide leadership in a non-confrontational manner which is to be applauded. While I very much doubt many will want to agree at this juncture, this is a very good start to a long term dialogue and marks a good intention not to want to totally dominate with their own version of the US dollar fiat currency.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

      Two interesting takes on that:
      http://mpettis.com/2009/03/the-dolla...%93-yet-again/

      and

      http://blogs.cfr.org/setser/2009/03/...ancial-system/

      basically the Chinese are posturing, using empty threats. It is like the Icelandic banks saying they won't accumulate any krona assets in summer 2008.

      Since their account surplus is dwindling anyway and it becomes the US does not need the Chinese "export based" financing they will not be buying US treasuries anyway. And what if they dump the $2 trillion in reserves? So what? TurboTax Timmy can piss that away in the morning after just two bailout parties with his bankster buddies... So what is the big deal?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

        Originally posted by $#* View Post
        Two interesting takes on that:
        http://mpettis.com/2009/03/the-dolla...%93-yet-again/

        and

        http://blogs.cfr.org/setser/2009/03/...ancial-system/

        basically the Chinese are posturing, using empty threats. It is like the Icelandic banks saying they won't accumulate any krona assets in summer 2008.

        Since their account surplus is dwindling anyway and it becomes the US does not need the Chinese "export based" financing they will not be buying US treasuries anyway. And what if they dump the $2 trillion in reserves? So what? TurboTax Timmy can piss that away in the morning after just two bailout parties with his bankster buddies... So what is the big deal?
        I am singularly unimpressed by your negative comment. What is the big deal? It is that an individual has stepped forward and made suggestions yes, that not everyone can agree on but that have sufficient merit to spark a debate.

        You are going to have to raise your own game to be considered a participant.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

          Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
          I am singularly unimpressed by your negative comment. What is the big deal? It is that an individual has stepped forward and made suggestions yes, that not everyone can agree on but that have sufficient merit to spark a debate.

          You are going to have to raise your own game to be considered a participant.
          My comments were not directed against you in any way shape or from, and were not a dismissing you. No where in the text of my post I was referring to Cris Coles or to your pint of view. Please accept my sincere apologies if I left that impression.

          These days were are subjected to a constant bombardment of fictions launched by corrupt politician (not only American politicians). I was just reacting to another lie (this time floated by chinese politicians). I was dismissing Comrade Zhou Xiaochuan's deception. I was expressing my own opinion with regard to the what a Chinese commie official said.
          Last edited by Supercilious; March 24, 2009, 06:43 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

            Originally posted by $#* View Post
            My comments were not directed against you in any way shape or from, and were not a dismissing you. No where in the text of my post I was referring to Cris Coles or to your pint of view. Please accept my sincere apologies if I left that impression.

            These days were are subjected to a constant bombardment of fictions launched by corrupt politician (not only American politicians). I was just reacting to another lie (this time floated by chinese politicians). I was dismissing Comrade Zhou Xiaochuan's deception. I was expressing my own opinion with regard to the what a Chinese commie official said.
            $#*, I was not reacting to a perceived insult to myself personally, so you have no need to apologise to me. I was and remain singularly unimpressed with anyone, not just yourself, who cannot see the chance of a dialogue....... with anyone. Neither do I see the Zhou Xiaochuan paper as a travesty of lies and deceit. I read it and came to the same conclusions as others, that while it had merit, it was an opening for a dialogue. It made some interesting suggestions.

            One last point, the United States made a very big mistake in Iraq by assuming that everyone was an enemy. The world is populated with many individuals that have, by their intellect, risen above the level of mere party politicians and through their own efforts, within an otherwise unacceptable working environment; made a difference. By saying that, I am merely suggesting that we have everything to gain from talking to anyone within such a nation and putting our "political" differences to one side. Change has to come from all of us, whoever we are and wherever we have come from. So I will stick to my original comment, you need to raise your game to continue to participate.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

              ,
              Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
              I was and remain singularly unimpressed with anyone, not just yourself, who cannot see the chance of a dialogue....... with anyone.
              A dialog is not a temper tantrum for "my way or the highway" because "I have to make my profits by ripping you off". If China wants a dialog why don't they start by abandoning the currency peg? They had 4 years to let the yuan free. That is a lot of time.

              Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
              Neither do I see the Zhou Xiaochuan paper as a travesty of lies and deceit. I read it and came to the same conclusions as others, that while it had merit, it was an opening for a dialogue. It made some interesting suggestions.
              I see it as BS and empty threats not an opening for a real dialog. I generally don't believe in political speeches and if China really wanted a dialog we would have seen it here:
              http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=C...CNY=X;range=1y

              Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
              One last point, the United States made a very big mistake in Iraq by assuming that everyone was an enemy. The world is populated with many individuals that have, by their intellect, risen above the level of mere party politicians and through their own efforts, within an otherwise unacceptable working environment; made a difference. By saying that, I am merely suggesting that we have everything to gain from talking to anyone within such a nation and putting our "political" differences to one side.
              Well here we differ. I think that the people of the United States made a very big mistake when they believed a politician who told them that USA had to attack Iraq. [...] and so on... but I don't see what relevance has this for the current discussion

              Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
              Change has to come from all of us, whoever we are and wherever we have come from.
              I agree. And I believe that change should come first with us stop believing political BS. Otherwise it will be like Obama/Geitner change if we keep believing the bailouts are good for the taxpayer


              Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
              So I will stick to my original comment, you need to raise your game to continue to participate.
              I guess you didn't bother to read the links I provided and you are equally unimpressed with what Setser and Pettis are saying. You probably are also unimpressed with Volker:
              http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/...ars/tab/print/

              As for China’s criticism of the U.S., Volcker was unsympathetic. “I think the Chinese are a little disingenuous to say, ‘Now isn’t it so bad that we hold all these dollars.’ They hold all these dollars because they chose to buy the dollars, and they didn’t want to sell the dollars because they didn’t want to depreciate their currency. It was a very simple calculation on their part, so they shouldn’t come around blaming it all on us.”
              Hmmm... a lot of people have to raise their game to "continue to participate".

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

                $#* but I did indeed read the papers from the links you provided and discovered both of them had found some merit in the paper you so disparage as BS.

                Again, the Volker report says much more than simply the Chinese position has flaws. Moreover, considering that the US government was completely befuddled by the sales pitch of the Wall Street giants, it is hardly any criticism of the Chinese for taking what they were sold on an as is basis.

                Saying a paper presented is BS, without debating the specifics simply is not good enough. However, one thing seems to be very clear, you are angry and I wonder why? Is it that you hold a lot of Yuan and wish to offload it and the currency peg is an obstacle to your own access to profit?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

                  Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                  $#* but I did indeed read the papers from the links you provided and discovered both of them had found some merit in the paper you so disparage as BS.
                  I believe both Setser and Pettis were very diplomatic and polite calling the Chinese BS, but well .. this is my interpretation

                  Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                  Again, the Volker report says much more than simply the Chinese position has flaws.
                  Yeah, it has flaws being "disingenuous" BTW , what is the "Volker report" ? I thought the quote was from Volker's talk at a two day conference organized by WSJ. Can you point the link to the "Volker Report"?

                  Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                  Moreover, considering that the US government was completely befuddled by the sales pitch of the Wall Street giants, it is hardly any criticism of the Chinese for taking what they were sold on an as is basis.
                  Can you spell "non sequitur"?

                  Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                  Saying a paper presented is BS, without debating the specifics simply is not good enough.
                  That is a fair criticism. OK, so what do you say about this quote:

                  The desirable goal of reforming the international monetary system, therefore, is to create an international reserve currency that is disconnected from individual nations and is able to remain stable in the long run, thus removing the inherent deficiencies caused by using credit-based national currencies.
                  One cannot have a reserve currency disconnected from individual nations and able to remain stable in the long run. Period. That was not possible even for gold. If that is not BS or sheer stupidity, then I don't know anymore what is ... :rolleyes:

                  Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                  However, one thing seems to be very clear, you are angry and I wonder why?
                  I'm not angry, I'm just ran out of patience seeing the heaps of BS churned by politicians (all politicians and government officials, from TurboTimmy to Zhou) and fed to the gullible masses.


                  Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                  Is it that you hold a lot of Yuan and wish to offload it and the currency peg is an obstacle to your own access to profit?
                  Chris Coles this was a cheap Lukester shot. You have to raise your own game if you want to participate in an intelligent debate without being ridiculed.

                  After I wrote all those posts at "China and the US bond paradox" trashing the imbecility of the dollar peg policy, do you really believe I have any yuan holdings? :eek:

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

                    Having fun at CFR:

                    Geithner 'open' to China proposal


                    Geithner, at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the U.S. is "open" to a headline-grabbing proposal by the governor of the China's central bank, which was widely reported as being a call for a new global currency to replace the dollar, but which Geithner described as more modest and "evolutionary."
                    "I haven’t read the governor’s proposal. He’s a very thoughtful, very careful distinguished central banker. I generally find him sensible on every issue," Geithner said, saying that however his interpretation of the proposal was to increase the use of International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights -- shares in the body held by its members -- not creating a new currency in the literal sense.

                    "We’re actually quite open to that suggestion – you should see it as rather evolutionary rather building on the current architecture rather than moving us to global monetary union," he said.
                    "The only thing concrete I saw was expanding the use of the [special drawing rights]," Geithner said. "Anything he’s thinking about deserves some consideration."
                    The continued use of the dollar as a reserve currency, he added, "depends..on how effective we are in the United States...at getting our fiscal system back to the point where people judge it as sustainable over time."
                    President Obama flatly rejected the notion of a new global currency at last night's press conference.
                    UPDATE: Evidently sensing a gaffe, moderator Roger Altman told Geithner that it would be "useful" to return to the question, and asked if he foresaw a change in the dollar's centrality.
                    "I do not," Geithner said, adding several forceful promises, including, "We will do what's necessary to say we're sustaining confidence in our financial markets."

                    http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmi...l.html?showall

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

                      $#*, "" Can you spell "non sequitur"?"" - wow! I can see we are dealing with a formidable individual here

                      And Now it is my turn to apologise for making a "Lukester" cheap shot.

                      Whether or not we like the idea because it has all sorts of ramifications, personally, I believe we will have to return to the only system that has worked in the past, a Gold Standard. How we do that, gosh only knows, but we cannot continue as we are.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: China: Time For a New Global Currency

                        Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                        $#*, "" Can you spell "non sequitur"?"" - wow! I can see we are dealing with a formidable individual here
                        yeah, Sorry, I don't know that is the proper English term for that

                        Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                        And Now it is my turn to apologise for making a "Lukester" cheap shot.
                        Apologies accepted. I hope I was not caustic. I see no good reason for two rational people to start a fistfight over what a politician or government official says. Women, football and especially beer remain perfectly legitimate reasons though ...

                        Originally posted by Chris Coles View Post
                        Whether or not we like the idea because it has all sorts of ramifications, personally, I believe we will have to return to the only system that has worked in the past, a Gold Standard. How we do that, gosh only knows, but we cannot continue as we are.
                        I completely agree we can't continue as we are and we need a sound monetary system, but I just don't see how we can return to a Gold Standard after all the garbage accumulated in the system for la last 38 years 9since the dollar went officially off the gold standard).

                        At least I don't see how is this possible when countries can pursue destructive sovereign monetary policies. Even if everybody were to agree to sustain the huge hits required for setting up an international gold standard system, one single irresponsible party pooper (like mercantilist China or credit card USA) would be able to destroy it in little time and all the honest players would have to share the losses.

                        Comment

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