February 17, 2010 Reading Time: < 1 minute

“China sees a clear link between America’s ability to stand up for human rights and its economic interests—and Beijing isn’t afraid to exploit it. Mr. Weiqun was bluntly reminding the U.S. to take a close look at its balance sheet before indulging in any displays of moral support for an exiled Buddhist monk deemed a ‘dangerous separatist’ for seeking Tibetan autonomy.
China holds nearly $755 billion in Treasurys—more than one-fifth of the total held by foreign nations. ‘China is now the largest creditor nation to the United States,’ noted Victor Gao, a former top official in the Chinese foreign ministry, in a recent CNN interview. ‘Just imagine if China buys less of the Treasury bonds or stops buying the Treasury bond for a couple of months.'” Read more.

“The United States: Debtor and Leader?”
Judy Shelton
The Wall Street Journal, February 16, 2010.

Tom Duncan

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