China predicts its trade surplus could triple to US$100 billion (¤82 billion) this year, leading to new disputes with its trading partners and added pressure to let its currency appreciate, state media reported Friday. China's trade surplus from January to August reached US$60 billion (¤49 billion), already far exceeding the US$32 billion recorded for all of 2004. By year's end, the surplus is expected to balloon to US$90 billion to US$100 billion (¤74 billion to ¤82 billion), the Commerce Ministry said, according to a report in the official China Daily newspaper, AP reported. Separately, central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said China should re-examine its yuan exchange rate policy in light of the bulging surplus, according to an interview he gave to the Chinese financial magazine Caijing. «Looking at whether the currency's exchange rate is reasonable and balanced has become an issue that needs to be researched, acknowledged and solved as soon as possible,» Zhou told Caijing. --SP 1144 Local Time 0844 GMT
