China's central bank has left open the door to an increase in local currency interest rates later in 2001, despite a recent monetary policy committee meeting agreeing to maintain rate stability in the near term, state media reported on Feb. 6, citing a People's Bank of China official. An article in the China Daily's Hong Kong edition cites Yi Gang, deputy secretary of the People's Bank of China banking and monetary policy committee, as saying the possibility remains that rates will be increased