The irony of the US retreat on the renminbi, though, is that China has been powerless to wean itself off its addiction to buying US debt, the other side of the bilateral financial ledger.

• 不过，美国在人民币问题上退却的讽刺之处在于，中国迄今摆脱不了购买美国国债的习惯。中国购买美国国债之举，是双边财务总账的另一面。