China Considers Yuan Depreciation Amidst U.S. Tariff Concerns

China's leadership is contemplating allowing the yuan to weaken in 2025 to mitigate the impact of potential U.S. trade tariffs under a returning Trump administration. This move would support Chinese exports by making them cheaper but risks a global backlash and increased trade tensions.

In a significant economic maneuver, China's top policymakers are considering allowing the yuan to depreciate in 2025 as a countermeasure against anticipated heightened U.S. trade tariffs under Donald Trump's potential second term. This decision reflects China's strategic need for a larger economic stimulus in response to punitive trade measures.

Sources indicate that enabling a weaker yuan could bolster Chinese export competitiveness by offsetting the effects of the tariffs. The People's Bank of China has remained silent on these discussions, maintaining a veil of strategic ambiguity over market expectations and future policy shifts.

Financial analysts eagerly await more concrete policy directions as the Politburo recently announced a forthcoming 'appropriately loose' monetary policy for next year, marking the first easing in over a decade. The ongoing deliberations spotlight the yuan's pivotal role amid escalating trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

(With inputs from agencies.)