Investment surge in Central Asia drives calls for expanded use of Chinese yuan

Expanding use of the Chinese yuan in fast-growing Central Asia, where China is a top investor, can reduce risks and costs for infrastructure firms, part of a broader trend that sees the currency gaining ground wherever commercial flows create demand for it, according to speakers on an investment panel in Hong Kong on Thursday.

Smoother access to the yuan would lower risks inherent in currency exchanges, particularly when the more internationalised US dollar is trending strong, and bring down the...