EU Ambassador: Wrong to Publicly Pressure China to Appreciate Currency

BEIJING, Mar. 17 -- An European Union top diplomat said here on Wednesday that the exchange rate was a "very complex issue" and pressure should not be put on China's currency.

"Discussions should be made behind closed doors, and I'm not sure that we progress to pressurize China by taking microphones," EU Ambassador to China Serge Abou told a press conference.

"That's not the best way to solve the very complex issue," said Abou.

Some U.S. senators proposed legislation on Tuesday to press China to appreciate its currency, saying that the yuan, or renminbi, was undervalued.

China has dismissed calls for revaluation of its currency.

The country's managed floating exchange rate system, in place since July 2005, is market-based, said Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman Yao Jian on Tuesday.

Abou also said European Commission President Jose Barroso is due to kick off a visit to China from April 29 and will attend the Shanghai Expo. It is the first time for the European Commission to participate in a world expo outside Europe.