Chinese rating agency Dagong Global Credit Rating Co. said Wednesday it has cut the credit rating of the United States from A+ to A with a negative outlook after the U.S. federal government announced that the country's debt limit would be increased.

The decision to lift the debt ceiling will not change the fact that the U.S. national debt growth has outpaced that of its overall economy and fiscal revenue, which will lead to a decline in its debt-paying ability, said Dagong Global in a statement.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday approved legislation to raise the U.S. debt limit by at least $2.1 trillion and cut federal spending by $2.4 trillion, one day before a threatened default.

The downgrade is a result of fights between U.S. political parties over debt issues, which reflects the government's inability to completely solve the debt problem, said Dagong Global.

The interests of the country's creditors are short of systematic protection both politically and economically, said the agency.

China is by far the largest holder of U.S. debt, with holdings amounting to $1.15 trillion as of the end of April.

Dagong announced last month that it had put the U.S. credit rating on negative watch for a possible downgrade on expectations of a long-term economic recession in the world's largest economy, partially caused by its economic governance and policies.

Dagong downgraded the U.S. rating from AA to A+ in November of last year after the U.S. Government announced a second round of quantitative easing.

The agency said the approval to raise the debt ceiling indicated that there will not be any positive changes in factors that will influence the country's debt-paying ability in the long run.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2011)