For a long period of time, China has been on of the biggest accumulator of US treasuries. This was largely due to the large trade deficit the United States was running and is running with China. But in 2016, they have become one of the biggest sellers, selling a record amount of $187 billion worth of treasuries.

This amount is, however, relatively small, given the fact that since 2015, $1.5 trillion worth of money has moved out of China. Chinese forex reserve has declined to below $3 trillion, for the first time since 2011. 

2016, was also the worst year for Chinese yuan which lost just less than 7 percent against the dollar, the worst since the currency liberalization in 2005.