"TAP não sobrevive se se mantiver pública", garante Pinto Luz

[Onorio]

Viver a conta dos outros é facil, o pior é qnd chega a hora de pagar.

Nao sei ate q ponto é q os Estados Unidos irao conseguir alguma vez conseguir anular a divida q tem. Eu nao queria ser chines nessa altura.

[MozHawk]

MARCH 13, 2009

Wen Voices Concern Over China's U.S. Treasuries

By ANDREW BATSON and ANDREW BROWNE

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expressed concern over the outlook for the U.S. government debt China holds, urging Washington to take effective policies to restore the American economy to health.

Speaking at his annual news conference -- a rare opportunity for reporters to ask the premier questions directly -- Mr. Wen voiced confidence in the Chinese government's ability to keep its own economy growing, saying it is willing to do what it takes to ensure China meets its traditional growth target of around 8% this year.

He said China's existing four-trillion yuan investment program addresses "both short-term and long-term needs, and that market expectations last week of another stimulus package were based on "rumors and misunderstandings."

However, China can do more if that becomes necessary, he said. "We have reserved adequate ammunition. We can at any time introduce new stimulus policies," he said.

But he said the U.S. remains the world's largest economy, and said that China is closely watching the effects of policies taken by U.S. President Barack Obama.

"We have lent a huge amount of money to the U.S., so of course we are concerned about the safety of our assets. I do in fact have some worries," Mr. Wen said in response to a question. He called on the U.S. to "maintain its credibility, honor its commitments and guarantee the safety of Chinese assets."

China holds the world's largest foreign-exchange reserves, reported at $1.946 trillion at the end of 2008.

About two-thirds of that sum is believed to be held in U.S. dollar assets, primarily Treasury bonds. Mr. Wen repeated China's position that those investments are managed with a view to "safety, liquidity and profitability" -- in that order.

He said that while China's first priority is to protect its own interests, it will "at the same time also take international financial stability into consideration, because the two are inter-related."

The generally mild-mannered Mr. Wen, who holds a news conference every year at the close of China's legislative session, spoke in an unusually forceful tone in answering a question about international concerns over the effect of China's own policies on the global economy.

He said China hasn't pushed down the value of the yuan, and repeated the government's commitment to currency stability "at a reasonable and balanced level." The yuan has hovered around 6.84 to the dollar since July 2008. Mr. Wen said China alone would decide where it goes from there. "No country can pressure us to appreciate or depreciate" the currency, he said.

China has been at pains to show it is being a responsible global citizen amid the financial crisis, speaking out frequently against protectionism and taking some measures to open its own markets. Mr. Wen's comments came a day after China said it had begun to allow local authorities to approve certain foreign investments, in a move to ease foreign investment at a time when it has been declining sharply.

Um abraço,
MozHawk