BEIJING
– China's premier expressed concern about the U.S. dollar
and called on Washington on Sunday to take "concrete
steps" to reassure Beijing about the safety of its huge
Treasury bond holdings.
"Any fluctuation in the value of the
U.S. currency is a big concern for us," Premier Wen Jiabao
said at a news conference.
"We cannot afford any mistake, how slight
it is, when running our financial assets," he said. "I
would like the United States to take concrete steps to reassure
investors."
China has pressed Washington to control its
yawning budget deficit and prevent inflation that would erode
the value of the dollar and China's holdings.
The premier said Treasury values were a matter
of the "national credibility" of the United States.