Curbing Inflation of Yuan

--The yuan has gained almost 3 percent this year versus the dollar after climbing 7 percent last year. Gains by theurrency help curb inflation by cutting import prices and making China's exports more expensive, helping to staunch thenflows of trade cash that threaten to stoke price increases. --Economists are split on whether policy makers will raisenterest rates in 2008, with forecasts ranging from noncreases to four. Alternative tools include boosting bankeserve requirements, already at a record high. --Li, the former party chief of northeastern Liaoningrovince, is being groomed to replace President Hu Jintao in five years, the academics say. They say former Guangdong party secretary Zhang Dejiang, 61, may become a vice premier with aneconomic policy role, also under Li's oversight, and Ma Kai,61, the head of China's economic planning agency, may become secretary general of the State Council, China's cabinet. --The failure to tame a surge in food prices since last yearhas led to stampedes, injuries and deaths at shops sellingdiscounted cooking oil, rice and eggs, illustrating the toll onthe 300 million Chinese estimated by the World Bank to beliving in poverty.