The first two considerations have been important influences on exchange rate
policies for China and the ASEAN countries. Viet Nam’s de facto exchange regime
seems at least in part motivated by an objective of providing an anchor to help in
containing inflation. There is also some evidence that the real exchange rates of China
and some other ASEAN countries have been undervalued in relation to their long-term
equilibrium as determined by their current account positions and other fundamental
economic determinants during certain periods, although not currently (Cline, 2013).24
It is important to emphasise that prolonged currency misalignments are the result of
fundamental macro and microeconomic conditions, such as fiscal imbalances or policies
affecting private saving and investment. Foreign exchange market intervention by itself
typically has limited and temporary effects on exchange rates. However limiting the
flexibility of exchange rates can delay adjustments in (real) exchange rates to changes in
their long-term fundamental equilibrium