China to keep yuan basically stable: FM spokesperson

BEIJING - China will keep the yuan's exchange rate basically stable at a reasonable and balanced level, and hopes the United States can refrain from politicizing the currency issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

In a semi-annual currency report issued Wednesday, the US Treasury Department did not list China as a currency manipulator. But the report did say the US would continue to monitor and review China's currency practices.

The report's conclusion that China does not manipulate the exchange rate is in line with common sense and the consensus of the international community, spokesperson Lu Kang told a routine press briefing.

As a responsible major country, China has repeatedly reiterated that it will not engage in competitive currency devaluation and will not use the exchange rate of the yuan as a tool to deal with external disturbances such as trade disputes, Lu added.

"China will unswervingly deepen the reform of exchange rate marketization and continue to improve the managed floating exchange rate system, which is market-oriented and formulated in reference to a basket of currencies."

China hopes the US can respect the law of the market and stay objective, rather than politicize the exchange rate issue, said the spokesperson.