Anticipation: China Gold Demand Voracious - Chinese Yuan Gold Standard?

03-03-2011 • ZeroHedge.com

Chinese Yuan Gold Standard China is clearly trying to position the yuan or renminbi as the alternative global reserve currency. The Chinese likely realise that they will need to surpass the Federal Reserve’s official, but unaudited, gold holding of 8,133.5 tonnes. China is the sixth largest holder of gold reserves in the world today and officially has reserves of 1054.1 tonnes which is less than half those of even Euro debtor nations France and Italy who are believed to have 2,435.4 and 2,451.8 tonnes respectively. China’s ambitions to rival and even supplant the dollar were seen overnight with news that China is to allow all exporters and importers to settle their cross-border trades in the yuan this year. The People’s Bank of China said that it was “part of plans to grow the currency's international role” and “would respond to overseas demand for the yuan to be used as a reserve currency.” Russia is also attempting to position the Russian ruble as a global reserve currency (see news). World Bank President Robert Zoellick recently mooted the possibility of a return to some form of gold standard. It seems extremely likely that senior and influential Chinese policy makers, bankers and government officials may be having similar thoughts.