China's 23-month gold buying streak and Hong Kong's plans to expand its yuan-denominated gold trading hub are seen as key steps in Beijing's push for yuan internationalization. Hong Kong confirmed last month its efforts to develop a yuan-denominated gold market and plans to expand its Shanghai-linked gold vault capacity from 150 tonnes to over 2,000 tonnes over the next three years. Analysts believe these moves will increase RMB-denominated physical gold trade, strengthen the yuan's long-term backing, and reduce reliance on dollar-denominated reserve assets.