Yuan gains the most in 20 years vs US dollar

A clerk counts money at a bank in Ganyu, Jiangsu province. Yuan has appreciated 43 percent since a new exchange rate mechanism was implemented in 1994. SI WEI / FOR CHINA DAILY

Record high exchange rate comes amid impasse over US debt 

The yuan traded stronger than 6.10 per dollar for the first time in 20 years after the central bank raised its daily fixing rate to a near record high and the nation stepped up efforts to increase the Chinese currency's global use.

The yuan strengthened for three consecutive days and closed at a record high of 6.0995 against the US dollar in Shanghai on Wednesday amid the ongoing impasse over US debt talks, China Foreign Exchange Trade System prices showed.

It touched 6.0965 earlier, the strongest level since the government unified the official and market exchange rates at the end of 1993.

The last time the currency traded below 6.1 to the dollar was on Dec 27, 1993, when it was at 5.8245. It weakened to 8.7217 on Jan 6, 1994, after a new exchange rate mechanism was implemented. It has appreciated 43 percent since then. The yuan's moves are restricted to 1 percent on either side of the reference rate set every day by the People's Bank of China, the nation's central bank.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the US dollar advanced four basis points to 6.1408 on Wednesday, according to data from the central bank. The central parity rate of the yuan against the US dollar is based on a weighted average of prices before the opening of the market each business day.

Democratic and Republican leaders in the US Senate could announce a deal soon to extend the government's borrowing authority and quickly re-open federal agencies that have been closed since Oct 1, reported Reuters on Wednesday, citing a Senate aide.

Analysts said the price of the US dollar against the yuan may fluctuate because it will take time for the market to digest both the results of the US debt talks and possible continuous yuan appreciation.

"Many factors are affecting the foreign exchange market at the current time, including decision makers' stands toward the ongoing rising price of the yuan against the US dollar," said Zhou Yunxie, a foreign exchange analyst with Shanghai-based Zhongqing Gold Investment Co.