China Says It Will Not Devalue Currency To Boost Trade

China will not devalue its currency to boost it export demand, according to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

"Persistent depreciation of the renminbi will only do more harm than good to our country," Li said said on Wednesday during a speech at a World Economic Forum event in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. His comments follow a day after the U.S. and China laid out plans to hit each other with a fresh round of tariffs. Since China imports much less from the U.S. compared to the other way round, speculations are rife as to whether or not China will manage to have enough measures to 'fight' back at U.S. tariffs.

Since April, the yuan (or renminbi) has declined by around -9% against the U.S dollar, amidst U.S.-China trade wars. In July, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that China was “manipulating” its currency yuan lower to gain advantage in international trade. Li, however, said Wednesday "The recent fluctuations in the renminbi exchange rate have been seen by some as an intentional measure on the part of China," he said. "This is simply not true."