Chinese and international financial leaders are voicing deep concern about the drama unfolding in the United States over an increase in the country's debt ceiling, a government shutdown and the possible tapering of quantitative easing.

Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said a failure to lift the debt ceiling will cause significant disruption and add uncertainty to the global economy.

"It will have fiscal consequences for the United States. It will have financial consequences not just for this country, but across the globe," Lagarde said.