eFinder

eFinder

Home › Global Financial Stability › Article

China joins global sell-off of US Treasuries in March as Iran war prompts panic

South China Morning Post · · 247 words · By Frank Tang
Global Financial Stability Geopolitical Conflict US Debt Market
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354028/china-joins-global-se…

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
warning
Appeal to Fear 70% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

6 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

info Single Source 3
check_circle Corroborated 2
cancel Disputed 1
check_circle
“China joins global sell-off of US Treasuries in March”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that China reduced its US Treasury holdings in March. One source specifies a drop from $693.3 billion to $652.3 billion.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The relationship between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the United States (US) has been complex and at times tense since the establishment of the PRC on 1 October 1949 and subsequent retreat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China–United_States_relations
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States. It is one of 15 current U.S. government departments. The treasury …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_th…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — United States Treasury securities, also called Treasuries or Treasurys, are government debt instruments issued by the United States Department of the Treasury to finance government spending as a suppl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Treasury_securit…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“Seven of the top 10 foreign holders cut their exposure to the US government debt”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific detail that 'seven of the top 10' holders cut exposure is not explicitly corroborated by the provided search results, although general trends of reduction by major holders (China, Japan) are mentioned.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Broadly, US government debt increases as a result of government spending and decreases from tax or other funding receipts, both of which fluctuate during a fiscal year.[3][4] The aggregate, gross amou…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_of_the_United_St…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Yields for 10- and 30-year JGBs have soared to the highest levels since the 1990s, and the central bank is expected to tighten for the fifth time since 2024.Japanese investors now collectively own abo…
https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/top-foreig…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Major foreign holders of United States Treasury securities as of February 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars). Display options. table.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/246420/major-foreign-hol…
info
“Japan... offloaded US$47.7 billion in the first full month of the Iran war”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific figure of $47.7 billion for Japan in March is mentioned in one specific news report. While other sources confirm Japan is reducing holdings, they do not provide this exact figure to corroborate it as a multi-source fact.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Scott Kenneth Homer Bessent ( BESS-ənt; born August 21, 1962) is an American businessman, financial analyst, and government official serving since 2025 as the 79th United States secretary of the treas…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Bessent
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is a proposed reserve asset, funded by the United States Department of the Treasury's forfeited bitcoin, announced by United States president Donald Trump in March 2025. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Strategic_Bitcoin_Reserve
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — United States Treasury securities, also called Treasuries or Treasurys, are government debt instruments issued by the United States Department of the Treasury to finance government spending as a suppl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Treasury_securit…
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“Mainland Chinese investors shed its holdings of US Treasury bills in March”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that China (Mainland Chinese investors) reduced its holdings of US Treasuries in March.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — US$693.3 billion a month earlier, according to data released by the US Treasury Department on Monday afternoon Washington time, remaining as the third largest foreign holder. Japan - the largest forei…
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354028/c…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Foreign investors are reducing their holdings of Chinese bonds, with massive capital flows heading to the US? Oct 04, 2025. In recent years, the global bond market has been quite volatile.
https://www.frecine.com/content/2883-you-sell-us-bonds-i-sel…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — ING analysts note that BRICS nations are “quietly exiting” the US Treasury market, reducing their reliance on dollar-denominated assets. This shift coincided with JPMorgan’s bearish dollar forecast fo…
https://infodefense.press/2026/01/02/in-october-brics-countr…
info
“Japan - the largest foreign holder - shaved down its stockpile by US$47.7 billion in March to US$1.192 trillion”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific numbers ($47.7 billion reduction to $1.192 trillion) appear in one specific report. Other sources confirm Japan is a major holder and is selling, but do not verify these exact figures.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — United States Treasury securities, also called Treasuries or Treasurys, are government debt instruments issued by the United States Department of the Treasury to finance government spending as a suppl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Treasury_securit…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Japan - the largest foreign holder - shaved down its stockpile by US$47.7 billion in March to US$1.192 trillion. Official data showed total foreign holdings of US Treasuries fell to US$9.35 trillion, …
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354028/c…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — An official website of the United States government. Here's how you know.The Department of the Treasury manages federal finances by collecting taxes and paying bills and by managing currency, governme…
https://www.usa.gov/agencies/u-s-department-of-the-treasury
cancel
“Official data showed total foreign holdings of US Treasuries fell to US$9.35 trillion, down from US$9.49 trillion in February”
DISPUTED
There is a direct contradiction in the evidence. One source states total foreign holdings fell to $9.35 trillion from $9.49 trillion in February. However, another source explicitly states that foreign holdings 'surged to a record high in March' reaching $9.05 trillion (which is lower than $9.35, but the trend 'surged' contradicts 'fell').
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The United States has the largest external debt in the world. The total amount of U.S. Treasury securities held by foreign entities in December 2021 was $7.7 trillion, up from $7.1 trillion in Decembe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_of_the_United_St…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Official data showed total foreign holdings of US Treasuries fell to US$9.35 trillion, down from US$9.49 trillion in February.
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354028/c…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries soared to a record high in March, data from the Treasury Department showed on Friday, rising for a third straight month. Holdings of U.S. Treasuries surged to $9.05…
https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2025:newsml_L1N…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.