I disagree.

If you look at London right now, THEY are the center of world finance. The fact that the pound sterling lost that status was probably insignificant compared to having half the country bombed flat in WWII.

There is no reserve currency now and no amount of wishful thhinking by the Chinese will create one unless the resto of the world goes along - and we won't, that's for sure - neither will the Brits who won't even join the Euro - which is in enough trouble as it is.

I say this partially tongue-in-cheek but the only thing that will create the "world currency unit" is an alien invasion. Untill we see ourselves as human beings first and nationalities second, etc., it's just not going to happen.